U.S. patent number 7,267,875 [Application Number 11/147,670] was granted by the patent office on 2007-09-11 for post-deposition encapsulation of nanostructures: compositions, devices and systems incorporating same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nanosys, Inc.. Invention is credited to Mihai Buretea, William P. Freeman, Andreas Meisel, Kyu S. Min, J. Wallace Parce, Erik Scher, Jeffery A. Whiteford.
United States Patent |
7,267,875 |
Whiteford , et al. |
September 11, 2007 |
Post-deposition encapsulation of nanostructures: compositions,
devices and systems incorporating same
Abstract
Ligand compositions for use in preparing discrete coated
nanostructures are provided, as well as the coated nanostructures
themselves and devices incorporating same. Methods for
post-deposition shell formation on a nanostructure and for
reversibly modifying nanostructures are also provided. The ligands
and coated nanostructures of the present invention are particularly
useful for close packed nanostructure compositions, which can have
improved quantum confinement and/or reduced cross-talk between
nanostructures.
Inventors: |
Whiteford; Jeffery A. (Belmont,
CA), Buretea; Mihai (San Francisco, CA), Freeman; William
P. (San Mateo, CA), Meisel; Andreas (San Francisco,
CA), Min; Kyu S. (San Jose, CA), Parce; J. Wallace
(Palo Alto, CA), Scher; Erik (San Francisco, CA) |
Assignee: |
Nanosys, Inc. (Palo Alto,
CA)
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Family
ID: |
35510300 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/147,670 |
Filed: |
June 7, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20060040103 A1 |
Feb 23, 2006 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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60632570 |
Nov 30, 2004 |
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60578236 |
Jun 8, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/402;
427/372.2; 427/384; 427/387; 428/403; 428/404; 428/405; 428/406;
428/407; 977/773 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B82Y
30/00 (20130101); C09C 1/3081 (20130101); C09C
3/006 (20130101); C09C 3/063 (20130101); C09C
3/12 (20130101); H01G 4/14 (20130101); C01P
2004/16 (20130101); C01P 2004/45 (20130101); C01P
2004/54 (20130101); C01P 2004/64 (20130101); C01P
2006/10 (20130101); C01P 2006/40 (20130101); C01P
2006/60 (20130101); Y10S 977/773 (20130101); Y10T
428/2982 (20150115); Y10T 428/2989 (20150115); Y10T
428/2998 (20150115); Y10T 428/2995 (20150115); Y10T
428/2993 (20150115); Y10T 428/2991 (20150115); Y10T
428/2996 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B32B
5/16 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;428/402,403,404,405,406,407 ;427/384,387,372.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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WO-0103208 |
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Jan 2001 |
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WO |
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WO-0217362 |
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Feb 2002 |
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WO |
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WO-0248701 |
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Jun 2002 |
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WO |
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WO-2005017962 |
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Feb 2005 |
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WO |
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WO-2005/022120 |
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Mar 2005 |
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WO |
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WO-2005/023923 |
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Mar 2005 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Kiliman; Leszek
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Elrod-Erickson; Monicia Filler;
Andrew L. Quine Intellectual Property Law Group, P.C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a non-provisional utility patent application
claiming priority to and benefit of the following prior provisional
patent applications: U.S. Ser. No. 60/578,236, filed Jun. 8, 2004,
entitled "POST-DEPOSITION ENCAPSULATION OF NANOCRYSTALS:
COMPOSITIONS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS INCORPORATING SAME" by Jeffery A.
Whiteford et al., and U.S. Ser. No. 60/632,570, filed Nov. 30,
2004, entitled "POST-DEPOSITION ENCAPSULATION OF NANOSTRUCTURES:
COMPOSITIONS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS INCORPORATING SAME" by Jeffery A.
Whiteford et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety for all purposes.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A discrete coated nanostructure comprising: an individual
nanostructure coated with a first coating, wherein the first
coating has a first optical, electrical, physical or structural
property, and wherein the first coating is convertible to a second
coating having a different optical, electrical, physical or
structural property than the first coating.
2. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the first coating
or the second coating encapsulates the nanostructure.
3. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the
discrete coated nanostructure is between about 2 nm and about 6
nm.
4. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the individual
nanostructure comprises a nanocrystal, a nanodot, a nanowire, a
nanorod, a nanotube, a quantum dot, a nanoparticle, a nanotetrapod,
a nanotripod, a nanobipod, or a branched nanostructure.
5. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the second coating
comprises an oxide.
6. The coated nanostructure of claim 5, wherein the second coating
comprises SiO.sub.2.
7. The coated nanostructure of claim 6, wherein the first coating
comprises: a first component comprising a silicon oxide cage
complex; and a second component comprising one or more moieties
that bind to the nanostructure, wherein each moiety is
independently coupled to the silicon oxide cage complex.
8. The coated nanostructure of claim 7, wherein each moiety is
independently coupled to the silicon oxide cage complex via an
oxygen atom.
9. The coated nanostructure of claim 7, wherein the silicon oxide
cage complex comprises a silsesquioxane composition.
10. The coated nanostructure of claim 9, wherein the silsesquioxane
comprises a closed cage structure.
11. The coated nanostructure of claim 9, wherein the silsesquioxane
comprises a partially open cage structure.
12. The coated nanostructure of claim 9, wherein the silsesquioxane
is derivatized with one or more boron, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl,
isobutyl, branched or straight chain alkane having between 3 and 22
carbons, branched or straight chain alkene having between 3 and 22
carbons, phenyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, isooctyl,
norbornyl, or trimethylsilyl groups, or a combination thereof.
13. The coated nanostructure of claim 7, wherein the silicon oxide
cage complex comprises one or more discrete silicates.
14. The coated nanostructure of claim 13, wherein the discrete
silicate comprises a phosphosilicate.
15. The coated nanostructure of claim 7, wherein the moiety
comprises one or more of the protonated or deprotonated forms of
phosphonate, carboxylate, amine, phosphinate, phosphonate ester,
sulfonate, sulfinate, alcohol, amide, or thiol moieties.
16. The coated nanostructure of claim 6, wherein the first coating
is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR00014## ##STR00015##
where R is an organic group or a hydrogen atom.
17. The coated nanostructure of claim 16, wherein R is a
hydrocarbon group.
18. The coated nanostructure of claim 16, wherein R is an alkyl
group, a cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, or an alkylaryl
group.
19. The coated nanostructure of claim 18, wherein R is an isobutyl
group, a methyl group, a hexyl group, a cyclopentyl group, or a
cyclohexyl group.
20. The coated nanostructure of claim 6, wherein the first coating
is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR00016## where R is
an alkyl group, a heteroatom, or an electron withdrawing group; and
##STR00017## where R is a halide.
21. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the first physical
property comprises solubility and the second electrical property
comprises nonconductivity.
22. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the first optical
property comprises light emission at a first wavelength and the
second optical property comprises light emission at a second
wavelength.
23. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the first coating
is converted to the second coating upon application of heat.
24. The coated nanostructure of claim 1, wherein the first coating
is converted to the second coating upon application of
radiation.
25. An array comprising a plurality of discrete coated
nanostructures of claim 1.
26. The array of claim 25, wherein the member nanostructures are
present at a density greater than 1.times.10.sup.10/cm.sup.2.
27. The array of claim 25, wherein the member nanostructures are
present at a density greater than 1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2.
28. The array of claim 25, wherein the member nanostructures are
coupled to a surface of a substrate.
29. The array of claim 28, wherein the substrate comprises a
silicon wafer.
30. The array of claim 28, wherein a first portion of a member
nanostructure is coupled to the substrate, and wherein a second
portion of the member nanostructure is covered by the first coating
or the second coating.
31. A device comprising a plurality of discrete coated
nanostructures of claim 1.
32. The device of claim 31, wherein the device comprises a charge
storage device.
33. The device of claim 31, wherein the device comprises a memory
device.
34. The device of claim 33, wherein the device comprises a flash
memory device.
35. The device of claim 31, wherein the device comprises a
photovoltaic device.
36. A coated nanostructure-containing composition comprising: a
plurality of nanostructures; and a coating separating each member
nanostructure, wherein the coating comprises a plurality of
moieties that bind to a surface of the individual member
nanostructure; wherein the coating is convertible to an insulating
shell after deposition of the coating and binding of the moieties
to the surface of the member nanostructure.
37. The nanostructure-containing composition of claim 36, wherein
the member nanostructures are coupled to a surface of a silicon
substrate, wherein the silicon substrate further comprises a silane
ligand coupled to a second moiety that binds to the member
nanostructures.
38. The nanostructure-containing composition of claim 37, wherein
the second moiety comprises one or more phosphonate ester,
phosphonic acid, carboxylic acid, amine, phosphine, sulfonate,
sulfinate, or thiol moieties.
39. A plurality of discrete nanostructures encompassed with rigid
SiO.sub.2 shells, wherein a diameter of a member nanostructure with
its shell is less than about 6 nm, and wherein the member
nanostructures are present at a density greater than
1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2.
40. A method for post-deposition shell formation on a
nanostructure, the method comprising: providing one or more
nanostructures having a ligand composition coating a surface of the
nanostructure and thereby forming a first coating on the
nanostructure, which first coating is curable to a rigid shell; and
curing the first coating and generating the rigid shell on the
surface of the nanostructure, thereby forming the shell
post-deposition.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates primarily to the field of nanotechnology.
More specifically, the invention pertains to compositions, devices
and methods involving discrete coated nanostructures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Individual nanostructures, as well as those embedded in other
materials to form nanocomposite materials, have many promising
applications, including applications that make use of their optical
and electronic properties. One particularly useful application
would be in the area of nanocomposite based memory, where the
nanostructures allow for high density charge storage.
Of the synthetic approaches available for preparing nanostructures,
top-down patterned approaches such as chemical vapor deposition
(CVD) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are commonly used to generate
core and core:shell nanostructures. These methods typically yield
large and/or disordered and/or low density packing nanoparticles,
and require high cost (high temperature, high vacuum) processing
steps. Solution based syntheses can also be used to synthesize
semiconductor nanocrystals (either cores or core/shells) which are
more readily compatible with solution based deposition methods such
as spin coating or other evaporation methods. For example,
nanostructures comprising CdSe cores (or crystalline cores) with a
shell of ZnS can be prepared by solution deposition techniques
(see, for example, Murray et al (1993) "Synthesis and
characterization of nearly monodisperse CdE (E=S, Se, Te)
semiconductor nanocrystals" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115: 8706 8715).
However, nanostructures generated by these and other standard
core-shell synthetic techniques typically do not have a thick
enough shell to confine a charge in the core to enough degree to
prevent charge diffusion to other nanostructures placed within a
few nanometers of the first nanostructure.
Alternatively, nanostructure synthesis by a chemical
self-organizing approach typically produces the most
well-controlled morphology and crystal size, but these synthetic
protocols generate nanostructures having associated therewith
additional organic and/or surfactant compounds. While useful for
enhancing solubility and facilitating manipulation of the
nanostructures during synthesis, the organic contaminants are
avidly associated with the nanostructure surface, thus inhibiting
further manipulation and/or integration of the newly synthesized
nanostructure into devices and end applications.
Even if these CdSe:ZnS constructs could be prepared having
diameters allowing for high density packing (e.g., about
1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2 or greater), the ZnS shell would not
provide enough quantum confinement for efficient use of the
nanostructures in microelectronic and photonic devices, including,
but not limited to, memory or charge storage devices.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for discrete coated
nanostructures that can be easily integrated into various
manufacturing processes without further processing. Preferably, the
coated nanostructures can be closely packed while maintaining
greater quantum confinement than standard CdSe/ZnS core:shell
structures. The present invention meets these and other needs by
providing discrete coated nanostructures, ligands for coating
discrete nanostructures, devices incorporating the coated
nanostructures, and methods for preparing the coated
nanostructures. A complete understanding of the invention will be
obtained upon review of the following.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One general class of embodiments provides a discrete coated
nanostructure. The discrete coated nanostructure includes an
individual nanostructure having a first surface, and a first
coating associated with the first surface of the individual
nanostructure. The first coating has a first optical, electrical,
physical or structural property, and is capable of being converted
to a second coating having one or more of a different optical,
electrical, physical or structural property than the first coating.
In some embodiments, the first coating encapsulates the
nanostructure; in other embodiments, the first coating covers a
portion of the nanostructure (for example, the portion of the
nanostructure not associated with the surface of a substrate). In
one embodiment, the electrical property of the second coating is a
dielectric property; exemplary second coatings for this embodiment
include silicon oxide, boron oxide, and combinations thereof.
Nanostructures that can be used to prepare the discretely coated
composition of the present invention include, but are not limited
to, nanocrystals, nanodots, nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, various
nanoparticles, including, e.g., metal, semiconductor, or insulator
nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles such as palladium, gold,
platinum, silver, titanium, iridium, cobalt, tin, zinc, nickel,
iron or ferrite nanoparticles or alloys of these, amorphous,
crystalline, and polycrystalline inorganic or organic
nanoparticles, and polymeric nanoparticles, such as those typically
used in combinatorial chemical synthesis processes, e.g., like
those available from Bangs Laboratories (Fishers, Ind.),
nanotetrapods, nanotripods, nanobipods, branched nanostructures,
branched nanocrystals, and branched tetrapods. In a preferred
embodiment, the nanostructure comprises a spherical, nearly
spherical, and/or isotropic nanoparticle such as a nanodot and/or a
quantum dot. Preferably, the coated nanostructure has at least one
dimension (for example, a diameter of the coated nanostructure)
that is less than about 10 nm, and optionally less than about 8 nm,
5 nm, or 4 nm. In some embodiments of the present invention, the
diameter of the coated nanostructure is between about 2 nm and
about 6 nm, e.g., between 2 4 nm.
A number of ligand compositions can be employed as coatings for the
nanostructure. In one class of embodiments, the second coating
comprises an oxide (e.g., SiO.sub.2). In some embodiments, the
first coating has a first component comprising a silicon oxide cage
complex and a second component comprising one or more nanostructure
binding moieties. Exemplary nanostructure binding moieties include
either the protonated or deprotonated forms of phosphonate,
phosphinate, carboxylate, sulfonate, sulfinate, amine, alcohol,
amide, and/or thiol moieties. Preferred nanostructure binding
moieties include ester moieties of phosphonate, phosphinate,
carboxylate, sulfonate, and sulfinate. Typically, the nanostructure
binding moieties are independently coupled to the silicon oxide
cage complex, e.g., via an oxygen or silicon atom of the cage.
In certain embodiments, the coated nanostructure includes a
silsesquioxane composition as the first coating. The silsesquioxane
can be either a closed cage structure or a partially open cage
structure. Optionally, the silicon oxide cage complex (e.g., the
silsesquioxane) is derivatized with one or more boron, methyl,
ethyl, branched or straight chain alkanes or alkenes with 3 to 22
(or more) carbon atoms, isopropyl, isobutyl, phenyl, cyclopentyl,
cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, isooctyl, norbornyl, and/or trimethylsilyl
groups, electron withdrawing groups, electron donating groups, or a
combination thereof. In an alternate embodiment, discrete silicates
are employed in the first coating composition. One discrete
silicate which can be used as first coatings is phosphosilicate.
Upon curing, the silicon oxide cage complex first coating is
typically converted to a second rigid coating comprising a silicon
oxide (e.g., SiO.sub.2).
The coatings employed in the compositions of the present invention
typically exhibit a first property in their initial (i.e.,
pre-conversion or pre-cured) state, and a second, differing
property in the second, post-conversion or post-curing state. For
examples involving coatings having differing electrical properties
upon conversion or curing, the first electrical property could
include conductivity while the second electric property is
nonconductivity (or vice versa). Likewise, the material in the
first state may be an electron conductor or a neutral material,
while the material in the second state may be a hole conductor.
Alternatively, for embodiments relating to optical properties, the
first and second optical properties could be opacity and
transparency, e.g. to visible light. Alternatively, the first
optical property could include light absorption (or transmission or
emission) at a first wavelength, while the second optical property
comprises light absorption (or transmission or emission) at a
second wavelength. Alternatively, for embodiments relating to
structural properties, the material in the first state could be a
flexible molecule, while the second state could comprise a rigid
(porous or solid) shell. In one class of embodiments, the first
physical property comprises solubility, e.g., in a selected
solvent, while the second electrical property comprises
nonconductivity. Conversion of the coating can be accomplished,
e.g., by application of heat and/or radiation.
The present invention also provides an array comprising a plurality
of discrete coated nanostructures. In a preferred embodiment, the
member nanostructures are present at a density greater than about
1.times.10.sup.10/cm.sup.2, greater than about
1.times.10.sup.11/cm.sup.2, and more preferably at greater than
about 1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2 or even greater than about
1.times.10.sup.13/cm.sup.2. Optionally, the member nanostructures
are associated with a surface of a substrate, such as a silicon
wafer. In some embodiments, the member nanostructures are
encapsulated prior to association with the substrate surface, while
in other embodiments, a first portion of a member nanostructure is
associated with the substrate, and a second portion of the member
nanostructure is associated with the first coating or the second
coating. Optionally, the surface of the substrate includes a
surface-binding ligand coupled to a second nanostructure binding
moiety, e.g., for association with a portion of the nanostructure
surface. For example, in the case of a silicon wafer, a silane
moiety would function as the binding ligand on the substrate or
surface.
Devices including a plurality of discrete coated nanostructures
form another feature of the invention. Exemplary devices that can
incorporate the discrete coated nanostructures of the invention
include, but are not limited to, a charge storage device, a memory
device (e.g., a flash memory device), and a photovoltaic
device.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a coated
nanostructure-containing composition having a plurality of
nanostructures and a coating separating each member nanostructure.
The coating includes a plurality of nanostructure binding moieties
attached to a surface of the member nanostructure; after
association of the nanostructure binding moieties with the surface
of the member nanostructure, the coating can be converted to the
second coating (e.g., an insulating shell; the first coating is
optionally also insulating). Optionally, the second coating or
"shell" is an inflexible structure that provides a spacing (e.g., a
selected or defined distance, or rigid spacing) between adjacent
member nanostructures. For example, depending upon the coating
employed, the diameter of a given coated nanostructure (or the
distance from center to center between adjacent nanostructures in a
packed array) can range, e.g., between about 1 and about 100 nm, or
optionally between about 1 nm and about 50 nm. In preferred
aspects, a higher packing density is desired, and thus a distance
between nanostructures optionally ranges from about 1 nm to about
10 nm, about 3 nm to about 10 nm, and more preferably, between
about 2 nm and about 6 nm, e.g., between about 3 and about 5 nm or
about 2 nm and about 4 nm. In certain aspects for which a thickness
that provides acceptable insulation or coating thickness while
preserving a high packing density is preferred, the diameter of the
coated nanostructure falls within a range of from about 2 nm to
about 6 nm, or optionally about 3.5 nm (or less).
In some embodiments, the insulating shell reduces or prevents
(e.g., lateral) charge diffusion or transmission between adjacent
or proximal member nanostructures, or between a nanostructure and
another adjacent or proximal material or substrate. Alternatively,
the shell may reduce or prevent other types of transmission, such
as light or heat. In one class of embodiments, the insulating shell
reduces the rate of charge diffusion between member nanostructures,
whereby the average time for an electron to hop from one member
nanostructure to another is greater than a predetermined length of
time (e.g., greater than 1 millisecond, 1 second, 1 minute, 1 hour,
1 day, 1 month, or even 1 year or more).
The member nanostructures can be associated with a surface of a
substrate. In one class of embodiments, the substrate comprises a
silicon substrate. The silicon substrate can comprise a
functionalized or oxidized silicon substrate. In one class of
embodiments, the silicon substrate further comprises a silane
ligand coupled to a second nanostructure binding moiety. The
plurality of nanostructure binding moieties and the second
nanostructure binding moiety can be similar chemical moieties, or
they can be disparate chemical moieties.
Nanostructure binding moieties that can be employed in the
compositions of the present invention include, but are not limited
to, one or more phosphonate ester, phosphonic acid, carboxylic acid
or ester, amine, phosphine, phosphine oxide, sulfonate, sulfinate,
alcohol, epoxide, amide or thiol moieties. The coating used to form
the insulating shell can be an organic, an inorganic, or a hybrid
organic/inorganic composition. In some embodiments of the present
invention, the nanostructure-binding coating comprises a silicon
oxide cage complex, such as one or more silsesquioxanes or discrete
silicates.
Essentially all of the features described for the embodiments above
apply to these embodiments as well, as relevant; for example, with
respect to type of nanostructures, density of member
nanostructures, association with a substrate, inclusion in devices,
and/or the like. The composition optionally includes a topcoat
composition, e.g., one comprising the same material as the coating
or the insulating shell.
In a further embodiment, the present invention also provides a
plurality of discrete nanostructures encompassed with rigid
SiO.sub.2 shells, wherein a diameter of a member
nanostructure:shell construct (i.e., a member nanostructure with
its shell) is less than about 10 nm (or optionally less than about
8 nm, less than about 6 nm, less than about 4 nm, or less than
about 3.5 nm), and/or wherein the member nanostructures are present
at a density greater than 1.times.10.sup.10/cm.sup.2, or optionally
greater than about 1.times.10.sup.11/cm.sup.2, about
1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2, or even equal to or greater than about
1.times.10.sup.13/cm.sup.2. The member nanostructures are
optionally arranged in an array, e.g., an ordered or disordered
array. Essentially all of the features described for the
embodiments above apply to these embodiments as well, as relevant;
for example, with respect to type of nanostructures, association
with a substrate, inclusion in devices, topcoats, and/or the
like.
In one class of embodiments in which the plurality of discrete
nanostructures are encompassed with rigid SiO.sub.2 shells, a
diameter of a member nanostructure with its shell is less than
about 6 nm, and the member nanostructures are present at a density
greater than 1 .times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2, the member nanostructures
are associated with a surface of a substrate. The plurality of
nanostructures can further comprise a top coating. The top coating
optionally comprises a silicon oxide top coating.
The present invention also provides devices, systems, compositions,
films, and the like having therein a plurality of discrete coated
nanostructures. One exemplary device that could be used with the
discrete coated nanostructures of the present invention is a memory
device, e.g., a flash memory device. In a preferred embodiment, the
flash memory device includes a plurality of discrete nanostructures
encompassed with rigid SiO.sub.2 shells, wherein a diameter of a
member nanostructure is less than about 6 nm, and wherein the
member nanostructures are present at a density greater than about
1.times.10.sup.10/cm.sup.2, or more preferably, densities greater
than about 1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2. Other exemplary devices
include charge storage devices and photovoltaic devices.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides methods for
post-deposition shell formation on a nanostructure. The methods
include the steps of providing one or more nanostructures having a
ligand composition associated with a first surface, which ligand
composition is capable of being converted to a rigid shell, and
converting or curing the ligand composition and generating the
rigid shell on the first surface of the nanostructure, thereby
forming the shell after deposition of the ligand composition. The
ligand composition can be, e.g., any of those described herein.
In one class of embodiments, the ligand composition comprises a
plurality of nanostructure binding moieties coupled to a silicon
oxide cage complex. The silicon oxide cage complex can comprise a
silsesquioxane composition. In one class of embodiments, the rigid
shell comprises an electrically conductive composition. In one
class of embodiments, the rigid shell comprises an electrically
insulating composition. In one class of embodiments, the rigid
shell comprises an optically transparent composition.
The nanostructures can be provided by synthesizing one or more
nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, branched nanostructures, branched
nanocrystals, nanotetrapods, nanotripods, nanobipods, nanocrystals,
nanodots, quantum dots, nanoparticles, or branched tetrapods (or a
combination thereof) by any of a number of techniques known in the
art. For some embodiments, providing the one or more nanostructures
involves providing semiconductor nanocrystals or metal nanocrystals
having at least one dimension of less than 10 nm, less than about 5
nm, or between 2 4 nm or smaller.
In one class of embodiments, the nanostructures having a ligand
composition associated with a first surface are provided by
providing one or more nanostructures having one or more surfactants
associated with the first surface and exchanging the surfactants
with the ligand composition. The step of exchanging the surfactants
can be achieved by various procedures. For example, the surfactants
(e.g., carboxylic acids, fatty acids, phosphines and/or phosphine
oxides) can be exchanged via a "mass action" effect, by suspending
or dissolving the nanostructures in an organic solvent and
combining the suspended nanostructures with the ligand composition,
thereby exchanging the surfactants on the first surface with the
ligand composition. Organic solvents that can be employed for this
step include, but are not limited to, toluene, chloroform,
chlorobenzene, and combinations thereof. Alternatively, the
surfactants can be removed in situ (e.g., after deposition on a
substrate) by various techniques, such as performing a low
temperature organic stripping procedure followed by oxidation using
a reactive oxygen species (provided, e.g., by UV ozone generation,
RF monoatomic oxygen generation, or oxygen radical generation). The
ligand composition can then be associated with the stripped
nanostructures. In an alternative class of embodiments, the
nanostructures are synthesized in the presence of the ligand
composition, and thus no surfactant exchange step is required.
The methods of the present invention include the step of converting
or curing the ligand composition to generate a second coating
(e.g., in some embodiments, a rigid and/or insulating shell) on the
first surface of the ligand-exchanged nanostructure. In a preferred
embodiment, the curing step is performed by heating the
nanostructure having the ligand composition associated therewith at
temperatures that will not degrade or otherwise compromise the
nanostructure. For the nanostructure-containing compositions of the
present invention, curing is typically achieved at temperatures
less than about 500.degree. C. In some embodiments, the heating
process is performed between 200 350.degree. C. The curing process
results in the formation of the second coating or shell (e.g., a
thin, solid matrix on the first surface of the nanostructure). The
shell can comprise, for example, an electrically conductive
composition, an electrically insulating composition, an optically
transparent composition, an optically opaque composition, or even a
combination of these features. In a preferred embodiment, the
second coating is a rigid insulating shell comprising a glass or
glass-like composition, such as SiO.sub.2.
The curing step is optionally performed by heating the
nanostructure in an oxidizing atmosphere. In embodiments in which
the nanostructure comprises a metal, heating the nanostructure in
an oxidizing atmosphere can convert the metal to a metal oxide. The
metal oxide is optionally converted to the metal by heating the
nanostructure in a reducing atmosphere, e.g., after the
nanostructure is processed (which can include, e.g., exposing the
nanostructure to a temperature between about 200.degree. C. and
about 750.degree. C., or even greater than 750.degree. C.) and/or
disposing a dielectric on the nanostructure.
Optionally, the nanostructures employed in the methods of the
present invention are coupled to a substrate, e.g., via a second
nanostructure surface. While various substrates can be employed,
one exemplary substrate is a silicon substrate, e.g., a silicon
wafer (e.g., with or without a silicon oxide coating). Another
exemplary substrate is a silicon nitride surface, either on a
silicon wafer, transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid, or
other suitable substrate. In some embodiments, coated
nanostructures are coupled via a second nanostructure surface
(e.g., a portion of the surface not in contact with the ligand
composition).
Optionally, the methods of the present invention further include
the step of applying a planarization composition, e.g., a spin-on
glass planarization composition, to the one or more nanostructures
coupled to a substrate. While this optional step can be performed
either prior to or after the curing step, the planarization
composition is preferably applied after curing of the ligand into
the rigid shell.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides nanostructures
having a rigid shell formed post-deposition as prepared by the
methods described herein. In some preferred embodiments, the rigid
shell comprises silicon (for example, SiO2) and/or boron (e.g.,
B.sub.2O.sub.3). The rigid shell can comprise silicon or silicon
oxide. In one class of embodiments, the rigid shell is a rigid
dielectric coating, and the ligand composition used to prepare the
rigid shell comprises a) a first component comprising a silicon
oxide cage complex, and b) a second component comprising one or
more nanostructure binding moieties, wherein each nanostructure
binding moiety is independently coupled to the silicon oxide cage
complex. Each nanostructure binding moiety is optionally
independently coupled to the silicon oxide cage complex via an
oxygen atom. A diameter of the nanostructure is optionally less
than 6 nm, e.g., less than 3.5 nm.
The present invention also provides methods of reversibly modifying
nanostructures. In the methods, one or more nanostructures
comprising a metal are provided. The metal is oxidized to produce a
metal oxide, and the nanostructures are processed. The metal oxide
is then reduced to provide the metal. The metal can be oxidized by
heating the nanostructures in an oxidizing atmosphere (e.g., one
comprising oxygen). The nanostructures are typically heated to a
temperature between about 200.degree. C. and about 700.degree. C.
(e.g., between about 200.degree. C. and about 500.degree. C.).
Similarly, the metal oxide can be reduced by heating the
nanostructures in a reducing atmosphere, e.g., an atmosphere
comprising hydrogen, e.g., a forming gas.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become
more fully apparent when the following detailed description is read
in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
DEFINITIONS
Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to be
understood that this invention is not limited to particular devices
or systems, which can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood
that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. As
used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular
forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the
content clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to
"a nanostructure" includes a combination of two or more
nanostructures; reference to "a ligand composition" includes
mixtures of ligands, and the like.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used
herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although
any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described
herein can be used in the practice for testing of the present
invention, the preferred materials and methods are described
herein. In describing and claiming the present invention, the
following terminology will be used in accordance with the
definitions set out below.
The term "nanostructure" as used herein refers to a structure
having at least one region or characteristic dimension having a
dimension of less than about 500 nm, e.g., less than about 100 nm,
less than about 50 nm, or even less than about 10 nm or about 5 nm.
Typically, the region or characteristic dimension will be along the
smallest axis of the structure. Examples of such structures include
nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, branched nanocrystals,
nanotetrapods, tripods, bipods, nanocrystals, nanodots, quantum
dots, nanoparticles, branched tetrapods (e.g., inorganic
dendrimers), and the like. Nanostructures can be substantially
homogeneous in material properties, or in certain embodiments can
be heterogeneous (e.g., heterostructures). Nanostructures can be,
e.g., substantially crystalline, substantially monocrystalline,
polycrystalline, metallic, polymeric, amorphous, or a combination
thereof. The nanostructures can comprise, e.g., a metal,
semiconductor, insulator, or a combination thereof. In one aspect,
each of the three dimensions of the nanostructure has a dimension
of less than about 500 nm, e.g., less than about 200 nm, less than
about 100 nm, less than about 50 nm, less than about 10 nm, or even
less than about 5 nm.
The terms "crystalline" or "substantially crystalline," when used
with respect to nanostructures, refer to the fact that the
nanostructures typically exhibit long-range ordering across one or
more dimensions of the structure. It will be understood by one of
skill in the art that the term "long range ordering" will depend on
the absolute size of the specific nanostructures, as ordering for a
single crystal cannot extend beyond the boundaries of the crystal.
In this case, "long-range ordering" will mean substantial order
across at least the majority of the dimension of the nanostructure.
In some instances, a nanostructure can bear an oxide or other
coating, or can be comprised of a core and at least one shell. In
such instances it will be appreciated that the oxide, shell(s), or
other coating need not exhibit such ordering (e.g. it can be
amorphous, polycrystalline, or otherwise). In such instances, the
phrase "crystalline," "substantially crystalline," "substantially
monocrystalline," or "monocrystalline" refers to the central core
of the nanostructure (excluding the coating layers or shells). The
terms "crystalline" or "substantially crystalline" as used herein
are intended to also encompass structures comprising various
defects, stacking faults, atomic substitutions, and the like, as
long as the structure exhibits substantial long range ordering
(e.g., order over at least about 80% of the length of at least one
axis of the nanostructure or its core). In addition, it will be
appreciated that the interface between a core and the outside of a
nanostructure or between a core and an adjacent shell or between a
shell and a second adjacent shell may contain non-crystalline
regions and may even be amorphous. This does not prevent the
nanostructure from being crystalline or substantially crystalline
as defined herein.
The term "monocrystalline" when used with respect to a
nanostructure indicates that the nanostructure is substantially
crystalline and comprises substantially a single crystal. When used
with respect to a nanostructure heterostructure comprising a core
and one or more shells, "monocrystalline" indicates that the core
is substantially crystalline and comprises substantially a single
crystal.
A "nanocrystal" is a nanostructure that is substantially
monocrystalline. A nanocrystal thus has at least one region or
characteristic dimension with a dimension of less than about 500
nm, e.g., less than about 200 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than
about 50 nm, or even less than about 20 nm. The term "nanocrystal"
is intended to encompass substantially monocrystalline
nanostructures comprising various defects, stacking faults, atomic
substitutions, and the like, as well as substantially
monocrystalline nanostructures without such defects, faults, or
substitutions. In the case of nanocrystal heterostructures
comprising a core and one or more shells, the core of the
nanocrystal is typically substantially monocrystalline, but the
shell(s) need not be. In one aspect, each of the three dimensions
of the nanocrystal has a dimension of less than about 500 nm, e.g.,
less than about 200 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 50
nm, or even less than about 20 nm. Examples of nanocrystals
include, but are not limited to, substantially spherical
nanocrystals, branched nanocrystals, and substantially
monocrystalline nanowires, nanorods, nanodots, quantum dots,
nanotetrapods, tripods, bipods, and branched tetrapods (e.g.,
inorganic dendrimers).
A "substantially spherical nanocrystal" is a nanocrystal with an
aspect ratio between about 0.8 and about 1.2.
A "nanorod" is a nanostructure that has one principle axis that is
longer than the other two principle axes. Consequently, the nanorod
has an aspect ratio greater than one. Nanorods of this invention
typically have an aspect ratio between about 1.5 and about 10, but
can have an aspect ratio greater than about 10, greater than about
20, greater than about 50, or greater than about 100, or even
greater than about 10,000. Longer nanorods (e.g., those with an
aspect ratio greater than about 10) are sometimes referred to as
nanowires. The diameter of a nanorod is typically less than about
500 nm, preferably less than about 200 nm, more preferably less
than about 150 nm, and most preferably less than about 100 nm,
about 50 nm, or about 25 nm, or even less than about 10 nm or about
5 nm. Nanorods can have a variable diameter or can have a
substantially uniform diameter, that is, a diameter that shows a
variance less than about 20% (e.g., less than about 10%, less than
about 5%, or less than about 1%) over the region of greatest
variability. Nanorods are typically substantially crystalline
and/or substantially monocrystalline, but can be, e.g.,
polycrystalline or amorphous.
A "branched nanostructure" is a nanostructure having three or more
arms, where each arm has the characteristics of a nanorod, or a
nanostructure having two or more arms, each arm having the
characteristics of a nanorod and emanating from a central region
that has a crystal structure distinct from that of the arms.
Examples include, but are not limited to, nanobipods (bipods),
nanotripods (tripods), and nanotetrapods (tetrapods), which have
two, three, or four arms, respectively.
A "nanotetrapod" is a generally tetrahedral branched nanostructure
having four arms emanating from a central region or core, where the
angle between any two arms is approximately 109.5 degrees.
Typically, the core has one crystal structure and the arms have
another crystal structure.
A "nanoparticle" is any nanostructure having an aspect ratio less
than about 1.5. Nanoparticles can be of any shape, and include, for
example, nanocrystals, substantially spherical particles (having an
aspect ratio of about 0.9 to about 1.2), and irregularly shaped
particles. Nanoparticles can be amorphous, crystalline, partially
crystalline, polycrystalline, or otherwise. Nanoparticles can be
substantially homogeneous in material properties, or in certain
embodiments can be heterogeneous (e.g. heterostructures). The
nanoparticles can be fabricated from essentially any convenient
material or materials.
An "aspect ratio" is the length of a first axis of a nanostructure
divided by the average of the lengths of the second and third axes
of the nanostructure, where the second and third axes are the two
axes whose lengths are most nearly equal each other. For example,
the aspect ratio for a perfect rod would be the length of its long
axis divided by the diameter of a cross-section perpendicular to
(normal to) the long axis.
As used herein, the "diameter" of a nanostructure refers to the
diameter of a cross-section normal to a first axis of the
nanostructure, where the first axis has the greatest difference in
length with respect to the second and third axes (the second and
third axes are the two axes whose lengths most nearly equal each
other). The first axis is not necessarily the longest axis of the
nanostructure; e.g., for a disk-shaped nanostructure, the
cross-section would be a substantially circular cross-section
normal to the short longitudinal axis of the disk. Where the
cross-section is not circular, the diameter is the average of the
major and minor axes of that cross-section. For an elongated or
high aspect ratio nanostructure, such as a nanowire or nanorod, a
diameter is typically measured across a cross-section perpendicular
to the longest axis of the nanowire or nanorod. For spherical
nanostructures such as quantum dots, the diameter is measured from
one side to the other through the center of the sphere.
As used herein, the term "coating" refers to a ligand that has been
applied to a surface, such as the surface of a nanostructure. The
coating either can fully or partially encapsulate the structure to
which it has been applied. Furthermore, the coating can be porous
or solid.
The term "optical property" refers to physical characteristics
involving the transmission or generation of photons.
Likewise, the term "electrical property" refers to refers to
physical characteristics involving the transmission or generation
of electrons (or holes).
The phrases "high density packing" or "high density" refer to
densities of about 10.sup.12 nanostructures per cm.sup.2 or
greater.
An "organic group" is a chemical group that includes at least one
carbon-hydrogen bond.
A "hydrocarbon group" is a chemical group consisting of carbon and
hydrogen atoms.
An "alkyl group" refers to a linear, branched, or cyclic saturated
hydrocarbon moiety and includes all positional isomers, e.g.,
methyl, ethyl, propyl, 1-methylethyl, butyl, 1-methylpropyl,
2-methylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl, pentyl, 1-methylbutyl,
2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-ethylpropyl,
hexyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-methylpentyl,
2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 4-methylpentyl, 1,1-dimethylbutyl,
1,2-dimethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl,
2,3-dimethylbutyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl, 1-ethylbutyl, 2-ethylbutyl,
1,1,2-trimethylpropyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl,
1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl and 1-ethyl-2-methylpropyl, cyclopentyl,
cyclohexyl, n-heptyl, n-octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, n-nonyl, n-decyl and
the like. Alkyl groups can be, e.g., substituted or
unsubstituted.
An "alkenyl group" refers to a linear, branched, or cyclic
unsaturated hydrocarbon moiety that comprises one or more
carbon-carbon double bonds. Exemplary alkenyl groups include
ethenyl, 2-propenyl, 2-butenyl, 3-butenyl, 1-methyl-2-propenyl,
2-methyl-2-propenyl, 2-pentenyl, 3-pentenyl, 4-pentenyl,
1-methyl-2-butenyl, 2-methyl-2-butenyl, 3-methyl-2-butenyl,
1-methyl-3-butenyl, 2-methyl-3-butenyl, 3-methyl-3-butenyl,
1,1-dimethyl-2-propenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-2-propenyl,
1-ethyl-2-propenyl, 2-hexenyl, 3-hexenyl, 4-hexenyl, 5-hexenyl,
1-methyl-2-pentenyl, 2-methyl-2-pentenyl, 3-methyl-2-pentenyl,
4-methyl-2-pentenyl, 1-methyl-3-pentenyl, 2-methyl-3-pentenyl,
3-methyl-3-pentenyl, 4-methyl-3-pentenyl, 1-methyl-4-pentenyl,
2-methyl-4-pentenyl, 3-methyl-4-pentenyl, 4-methyl-4-pentenyl,
1,1-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1,1-dimethyl-3-butenyl,
1,2-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1,2-dimethyl-3-butenyl,
1,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1,3-dimethyl-3-butenyl,
2,2-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl,
2,3-dimethyl-3-butenyl, 3,3-dimethyl-2-butenyl, 1-ethyl-2-butenyl,
1-ethyl-3-butenyl, 2-ethyl-2-butenyl, 2-ethyl-3-butenyl,
1,1,2-trimethyl-2-propenyl, 1-ethyl-1-methyl-2-propenyl,
1-ethyl-2-methyl-2-propenyl, and the like. Alkenyl groups can be
substituted or unsubstituted.
An "alkynyl group" refers to a linear, branched, or cyclic
unsaturated hydrocarbon moiety that comprises one or more
carbon-carbon triple bonds. Representative alkynyl groups include,
e.g., 2-propynyl, 2-butynyl, 3-butynyl, 1-methyl-2-propynyl,
2-pentynyl, 3-pentynyl, 4-pentynyl, 1-methyl-2-butynyl,
1-methyl-3-butynyl, 2-methyl-3-butynyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-propynyl,
1-ethyl-2-propynyl, 2-hexynyl, 3-hexynyl, 4-hexynyl, 5-hexynyl,
1-methyl-2-pentynyl, 1-methyl-3-pentynyl, 1-methyl-4-pentynyl,
2-methyl-3-pentynyl, 2-methyl-4-pentynyl, 3-methyl-4-pentynyl,
4-methyl-2-pentynyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-butynyl,
1,1-dimethyl-3-butynyl, 1,2-dimethyl-3-butynyl,
2,2-dimethyl-3-butynyl, 3,3-dimethyl-1-butynyl, 1-ethyl-2-butynyl,
1-ethyl-3-butynyl, 2-ethyl-3-butynyl 1-ethyl-1-methyl-2-propynyl,
and the like. Alkynyl groups can be substituted or
unsubstituted.
The term "aryl group" refers to a chemical substituent comprising
or consisting of an aromatic group. Exemplary aryl groups include,
e.g., phenyl groups, benzyl groups, tolyl groups, xylyl groups,
alkyl-aryl groups, or the like. Aryl groups optionally include
multiple aromatic rings (e.g., diphenyl groups, etc.). The aryl
group can be, e.g., substituted or unsubstituted. In a "substituted
aryl group", at least one hydrogen is replaced with one or more
other atoms.
The term "alkyl-aryl group" refers to a group that comprises alkyl
and aryl moieties.
A "heteroatom" refers to any atom which is not a carbon or hydrogen
atom. Examples include, but are not limited to, oxygen, nitrogen,
sulfur, phosphorus, and boron.
A "surfactant" is a molecule capable of interacting (whether weakly
or strongly) with one or more surfaces of a nanostructure.
The term "about" as used herein indicates the value of a given
quantity varies by +/-10% of the value, or optionally +/-5% of the
value, or in some embodiments, by +/-1% of the value so
described.
A variety of additional terms are defined or otherwise
characterized herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts exemplary silsesquioxane frameworks for use as
nanostructure ligands in the present invention.
FIG. 2 provides an exemplary discrete silicate ligand having a
phosphate moiety incorporated as a nanostructure binding head
group.
FIG. 3 provides a schematic depiction of the preparation of a
substrate using ligand-coated quantum dots. In the top panel,
surfactants (crystal synthesis ligands) coating the surface of a
CdSe nanodot are exchanged for a phosphosilicate ligand. In the
middle panel, an SiO.sub.2 surface is coated with a silane ligand
to form a self assembled monolayer of surface assembly ligand
(SAL). In the bottom panel, the ligand exchanged nanodots are
applied to the SAL coated substrate, leaving a close-packed
monolayer of CdSe dots on the SiO.sub.2 substrate with SiO.sub.2
between the dots after assembly, washing, and curing steps.
FIG. 4 provides a schematic side-view (top) and top-view (bottom)
depiction of the conversion of a first coating to a second coating
on a plurality of adjacent quantum dots. The views on the left show
a close-packed monolayer of CdSe dots on an SiO.sub.2 substrate
with an SiO.sub.2 ligand between the dots. Following heat curing,
during which the ligand converts to an SiO.sub.2 dielectric, the
views on the right show a close-packed monolayer of CdSe dots on
the SiO.sub.2 substrate with SiO.sub.2 between the dots.
FIG. 5 provides exemplary first coating compositions of the present
invention.
FIG. 6 provides an exemplary synthesis protocol for the production
of the silsesquioxane ligand heptacyclopentyl POSS disilanol
diethoxyphosphate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Many electronics applications would benefit from processes and
compositions that provided nanostructures having improved energy
barrier heights and/or quantum confinement. Nanostructures having
these enhanced properties could be used, e.g., for quantized charge
storage and/or transfer in the field of microelectronics, or for
photon generation and transfer in photonics. For example, solid
state storage devices such as flash memory devices use storage
media having discrete read and write properties. Enhanced storage
capacities could be implemented by storing charge on densely-packed
discrete nanostructures, such as quantum dots. In particular,
nanostructures that pack well at high density (e.g., those having
spherical, nearly spherical, and/or isotropic structures, such as
nanodots or quantum dots) as well as improved quantum confinement
properties are particularly promising for use in discrete and/or
quantized charge storage, as well as for photon generation and
transfer.
Cross-talk between dots (i.e., signal interference due to
electronic interactions between the nanostructures) leads to poor
device performance. The present invention, however, provides
compositions, methods and devices in which nanostructured charge
storage elements are able to be closely packed (e.g. at densities
of 1.times.10.sup.10/cm.sup.2 or greater, even at a high density,
e.g., at 1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2 or greater), while preserving
or improving quantum confinement, either by controlling the
distance between the nanostructures and/or by introducing an
insulating or dielectric coating material such as silicon dioxide
around discrete nanostructures.
For example, two significant issues considered with respect to the
use of nanostructures as charge storage elements are the inclusion
of appropriate surface properties, and the packing of the selected
nanostructures into ordered or disordered monolayers. For
high-density data storage applications, the nanostructures are
preferably provided as one or more close-packed ordered monolayers.
In the case of semiconducting nanocrystals, hexagonally packed
monolayers of CdSe have been prepared in the art by making use of
phase segregation between aliphatic surfactants on the nanocrystals
and aromatic conjugated organic materials, and deposition via
spin-coating. However, the embedding of nanocrystals into (or on
top of) an organic matrix is not desirable in memory device
fabrication processes. To this end, the present invention provides,
in one embodiment, monolayers of quantum dots with silsesquioxane
or silicate ligand surface ligands prepared by various
self-assembly methods and compatible with charge storage
applications.
Maintaining a selected distance between nanostructures can be
achieved using a ligand or coating associated with the
nanostructure surface. The size of the ligand-nanostructure
complex, and thus the distance between adjacent nanostructures, can
be varied for different applications by altering the composition of
the associated ligand. Thus, the size of the ligand can be used to
control dot-to-dot spacing during the preparation of a
nanostructure-containing substrate or matrix.
In addition, the physical properties of the nanostructure
composition can also be adjusted by introducing a ligand coating
that can be converted to a second coating having a second, desired
property (for example, being dielectric). For example, in some
embodiments provided herein, the coated nanocrystals in their
"post-processing" or cured state are insulated with silicon
dioxide-containing second coatings or shells, e.g., to reduce
cross-talk between nanocrystals. Other desirable properties
include, but are not limited to, malleability, rigidity, thermal
tolerance, conductivity, transparency, and opaqueness (opacity),
depending upon the application involved. Furthermore, ligand
compositions that, upon conversion to a second coating, affect the
HOMO or valence bond levels of the nanostructure composition are
also included in the compositions of the present invention.
However, while primarily described in terms of charge insulation
and/or nanostructure spacing for, e.g., charge storage applications
such as non-volatile memory, it will be appreciated by those of
skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure that the
present invention, and or various individual or combined component
aspects thereof, possess far broader applicability than that which
is embodied by these specific applications. In particular, the
ability to provide or include a convertible coating that can be
converted in situ, or otherwise when desired (e.g., after
association with the nanostructure, so as to alter the property of
the nanostructure), has broadly applicable value. For example,
optical coatings may be deposited using a coating material that
offers a first optical property, but which may be converted to a
second optical property, post-deposition. Additionally, the ability
to individually associate a coating with a nanostructure, which
coating may be more easily manipulated in one form, but may be
later converted while already uniformly or otherwise desirably
coated onto the nanostructure, provides significant advantages to
previously described nanostructure coating processes.
Discrete Coated Nanostructures
The present invention provides methods and compositions involving
discrete coated nanostructures. These nanostructures differ from
nanostructures embedded in a matrix, in that each coated
nanostructure has, upon synthesis or after subsequent application,
a defined boundary provided by the coating that is not contiguous
with the surrounding matrix. For ease of discussion, the coating
material is generally referred to herein as a "ligand" in that such
coating typically comprises molecules that have individual
interactions with the surface of the nanostructure, e.g., covalent,
ionic, van der Waals, or other specific molecular interactions. The
present invention also provides a plurality of discrete coated
nanostructures, in which the first coatings have been converted to
the second coatings such that the individual nanostructures are not
in direct contact or otherwise in undesirable communication, e.g.,
electrical communication. Furthermore, the second coating (shell)
component of the coated nanostructure is often non-crystalline,
unlike the typical core:shell type nanostructures known in the art.
Optionally, the diameters of the coated nanostructures (e.g., the
nanostructure:coating construct) are less than about 10 nm, and
optionally less than about 5 nm, less than about 4 nm, or even less
than about 3.5 nm.
A discrete coated nanostructure of the present invention includes
an individual nanostructure having a first surface and a first
coating associated with the first surface of the individual
nanostructure and having a first optical, electrical, physical or
structural property, wherein the first coating is capable of being
converted to a second coating having a different electrical,
optical, structural and/or other physical property than the first
coating. In some embodiments, the first coating encapsulates the
nanostructure (i.e., it completely surrounds the nanostructure
being coated). In other embodiments, the nanostructure is partially
encapsulated. For example, the first coating can cover the portion
of the nanostructure not associated with another composition, such
as the surface of a substrate.
Pluralities of Coated Nanostructures
The present invention also provides a coated
nanostructure-containing composition having a plurality of
nanostructures having a first coating separating each member
nanostructure. Typically the coating has a plurality of
nanostructure binding moieties that are employed to attach the
coating to the surface of the member nanostructures. The first
coating then can be converted to a second coating or shell that
possesses at least one different property from the original
coating, e.g., a coating that is electrically, optically,
chemically, and/or structurally different, e.g., insulative as
opposed to conductive (or at least non-insulative), or rigid
instead of malleable. An insulating coating (or insulating shell)
as described herein comprises a material that is nonconductive
(e.g., dielectric). An insulating shell is generally capable of
preventing substantial charge transfer for at least a brief length
of time; for example, the insulating shell can reduce the rate of
charge diffusion between member nanostructures, such that the
average time for an electron to hop from one member nanostructure
to another is at least a millisecond, or optionally at least 10
milliseconds, at least 100 milliseconds, at least 1 second, at
least 1 minute, at least 1 hour, at least 1 day, at least 1 month,
or at least 1 year or longer. Optionally, the charge transfer is
substantially prevented (e.g., a device comprising the insulated
nanostructures can maintain an applied charge) for a predetermined
length of time ranging from 1 millisecond to at least 1 second, 1
minute, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 year, or longer. By providing a
convertible coating mechanism in accordance with the present
invention, e.g., as opposed to a synthesized nanocrystal that
includes a shell component, one can garner a number of advantages,
including, e.g., providing smaller core-shell structures, and
potentially more coherent shell layers, that allow higher packing
densities when such nanocrystals are arranged in a layer, e.g., a
monolayer. For some embodiments, providing the plurality of
nanostructures at a density of about 1.times.10.sup.10/cm.sup.2 is
sufficient. However, in preferred embodiments, the plurality of
nanostructures in the nanostructure-containing composition layer
are present at a density of about 1.times.10.sup.11/cm.sup.2 or
greater, or about 1.times.10.sup.12/cm.sup.2 or greater, and more
preferably, at about 1.times.10.sup.13/cm.sup.2 or greater.
Optionally, the plurality of discrete coated nanostructures (e.g.,
at a selected density) are provided as a monolayer. However, in
some embodiments, the plurality of nanostructures includes multiple
monolayers, each independently having a selected or desired density
of member nanostructures.
In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of coated nanostructures
function as charge storage elements in various high-density data
storage applications. Two key requirements for the use of the
plurality of coated nanostructures in these applications are the
selection of appropriate surface properties, and close packing of
the nanostructures in monolayer arrays, optionally well-ordered
monolayer arrays. As shown by Bulovic and coworkers (Coe et al.
2002 "Electroluminescence from single monolayers of nanocrystals in
molecular organic devices" Nature 420:800 803), hexagonally-packed
monolayers of CdSe-type semiconducting nanocrystals can be prepared
by taking advantage of phase segregation between aliphatic
surfactants on the nanocrystals and aromatic conjugated organic
materials deposited on the nanocrystal via spin-coating. However, a
composition of nanocrystals embedded into (or on top of) a 40 nm
thick organic matrix is not desirable in memory device fabrication
processes. Among other issues, the thickness of the
(fairly-conductive) organic matrix will not provide enough quantum
confinement, and will reduce the read/write efficacy and
predictability of the device. Furthermore, the organic layer(s) are
not compatible with typical memory fabrication techniques. To this
end, coated nanostructures which are more compatible with charge
storage applications are provided by the present invention. In a
specific preferred embodiment, the plurality of coated
nanostructures of the present invention comprise one or more
monolayers of nanodots having silsesquioxane or silicate ligand
surface ligands. These can be prepared, for example, by various
self-assembly methods as described herein; after curing, the
resulting nanostructures are insulated by the second coating of
silicon dioxide-containing ligands. Among other advantages, the
oxide second coating reduces cross-talk between nanostructures.
Coatings and Related Properties
The ligands employed as first coatings in the compositions, devices
and methods of the present invention are prepared as a means by
which to generate a second coating having a selected or desired
property (or properties). The second coating provides an altered
electrical, optical, physical or structural state as compared to
the first coating, such as changes in rigidity, solubility, and/or
in optical properties (refractive index, emission and/or absorption
properties). A variety of coating compositions are considered for
use in the present invention. For example, the coating can be an
organic composition, such as various polymeric precursors that may
be chemically or radiatively converted to altered (second) coating
compositions, e.g., through cross-linking, further polymerization,
etc. Exemplary organic compositions include, but are not limited
to, dendrimer PAMAM (amine dendrimer), amine-(or other nanocrystal
binding head group) terminated methyl methacrylate
(polymethylmethacrylate precursor), phosphonate head
group-containing polymers, carboxylic acid-terminated diene or
diacetylene compositions, any heteroatom containing monomer(s) that
can be converted to polymers upon chemical, heat or light
activation, as well as the ligands described in by Whiteford et al.
in U.S. Ser. No. 10/656,910 filed Sep. 4, 2003, and titled "Organic
Species that Facilitate Charge Transfer to/from
Nanostructures."
Alternatively, the coating is an inorganic composition. Optionally,
the coating includes a silicon or silicon oxide moiety. It will be
understood by one of skill in the art that the term "silicon oxide"
as used herein can be understood to refer to silicon at any level
of oxidation. Thus, the term silicon oxide can refer to the
chemical structure SiO.sub.x, wherein x is between 1 and 2
inclusive. Inorganic coatings for use in the present invention
include, but are not limited to, tin oxide, vanadium oxide,
manganese oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, tungsten oxide,
and niobium oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, as well as
other silicon-containing coatings and/or boron-containing coatings.
In some preferred embodiments, the coating comprises a hybrid
organic/inorganic composition, such as some embodiments of the
silicon oxide cage complexes provided herein. See also the
compositions provided in Schubert (2001) "Polymers Reinforced by
Covalently Bonded Inorganic Clusters" Chem. Mater. 13:3487 3494;
Feher and Walzer (1991) "Synthesis and characterization of
vanadium-containing silsesquioxanes" Inorg. Chem. 30:1689 1694;
Coronado and Gomez-Garcia (1998) "Polyoxometalate-Based Molecular
Materials" Chem. Rev. 98:273 296; Katsoulis (1998) "A Survey of
Applications of Polyoxometalates" Chem. Rev. 98:359 387; Muller and
Peters (1998) "Polyoxometalates" Very Large Clusters--Nanoscale
Magnets" Chem. Rev. 98:239 271; Rhule et al (1998)
"Polyoxometalates in Medicine" Chem. Rev. 98:327 357; Weinstock
(1998) "Homogeneous-Phase Electron-Transfer Reactions of
Polyoxometalates" Chem. Rev. 98:113 170; and Suzuki (1999) "Recent
Advanced in the Cross-Coupling Reactions of Organoboron Derivatives
with Organic Electrophiles 1995 1998" J. Organomet. Chem. 576:147
168; Sellier et al. (2003) "Crystal structure and charge order
below the metal-insulator transition in the vanadium bronze
.beta.-SrV.sub.6O.sub.15" Solid State Sciences 5:591 599; Bulgakov
et al. (2000) "Laser ablation synthesis of zinc oxide clusters: a
new family of fullerenes?" Chem. Phys. Lett. 320:19 25; Citeau et
al. (2001) "A novel cage organotellurate (IV) macrocyclic host
encapsulating a bromide anion guest" Chem. Commun. Pp. 2006 2007;
Gigant et al. (2001) "Synthesis and Molecular Structures of Some
New Titanium (IV) Aryloxides" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123:11623 11637;
Liu et al. (2001) "A novel bimetallic cage complex constructed from
six V.sub.4Co pentatomic rings: hydrothermal synthesis and crystal
structure of [(2,2'-Py.sub.2NH).sub.2Co].sub.3V.sub.8O.sub.23"
Chem. Commun. Pp. 1636 1637; and "On the formation and reactivit of
multinuclear silsesquioxane metal complexes" 2003 dissertation
thesis of Rob W. J. M. Hanssen, Eindhoven University of
Technology.
In a preferred embodiment, the coating is a silicon-containing
coating (e.g., either an inorganic or hybrid inorganic/organic
composition) that can be converted to a rigid SiO.sub.2 insulating
shell after deposition of the coating and association of the
nanostructure binding moieties with the surface of the member
nanostructure. The present invention provides coated nanostructures
in which the second coating comprises a rigid SiO.sub.2 shell, and
wherein a diameter of the discrete coated nanostructure is
optionally less than or equal to 50 nm, less than or equal to 20
nm, less than or equal to 10 nm, less than or equal to 6 nm, or
less than or equal to 3.5 nm.
In some embodiments, the coating can be used to provide spacing
between adjacent member nanostructures, e.g., during preparation of
substrate-bound nanostructure compositions (see, for example, the
embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4). Optionally, the coating
ligands of the present invention are sized such that the coated
nanostructures can be packed to provide less than about 10 nm
between nanostructures (center to center), or optionally less than
about 8 nm, less than about 5 nm, or less than about 4 nm between
nanostructure centers. In many embodiments, the coating provides a
spacing of between about 8 10 nm, about 4 8 nm, or preferably about
2 4 nm between nanostructure surfaces (e.g., the ligands are 1 2 nm
in length).
In a preferred embodiment, the coating composition or the rigid
shell reduces or prevents charge diffusion between member
nanostructures. Coating compositions that can be converted into
second coatings of oxides of silicon and/or boron are particularly
preferred in this embodiment.
Optionally, after conversion of the ligand coating to a second
coating (one that typically has differing properties than the first
coating), the coated nanostructures are associated with a substrate
and/or overlaid with a topcoat material. Optionally, the top
coating material is a similar composition to that of either the
first coating or second coating. For example, after formation of
rigid SiO.sub.2 shells around discrete nanostructures, a plurality
of the nanostructures can be overlaid with a composition that can
also be converted to SiO.sub.2, thus embedding the nanostructures
in a matrix of silicon.
The ligands employed as first coatings in the compositions, devices
and methods of the present invention are prepared as a means by
which to generate a second coating having a selected or desired
property (or properties). For example, quantum dots used in flash
memory devices need to maintain discrete boundaries between
adjacent nanostructures. This can be achieved by providing a ligand
that can be converted to a rigid shell (second coating) having a
defined diameter, thus controlling the distance between dots. In
addition, device performance can be improved if the second coating
also functions to improve quantum confinement and reduce cross-talk
between quantum dots; a ligand that produces a second coating that
has dielectric characteristics is also desirable. The present
invention provides ligand compositions for use as first coatings,
for use in the generation of discrete coated nanostructures having
e.g., improved barrier heights and/or quantum confinement.
The first coating and second coating typically have differing
physical properties. For example, the first coating can be
electrically neutral (the first electrical property) while the
second coating comprises a dipole moment (the second electrical
property); similarly, the first coating can comprise a dipole
moment while the second coating is electrically neutral. In another
embodiment, the first coating is non-insulating or conductive
(e.g., a conjugated conducting organic-metal hybrid species), while
the second coating is insulating or nonconductive (e.g., a metal
oxide). In a further embodiment, the first coating is insulating or
nonconductive, and the second coating is non-insulating or
conductive. Of particular interest are malleable first coatings
that are converted to rigid second coatings (particularly those
having semiconductive or insulating properties). One preferred
composition embodiment for use as a rigid insulating shell
encapsulating the selected nanostructure is silicon oxide
(SiO.sub.2); such rigid SiO.sub.2 second coatings are optionally
produced from malleable first coatings comprising silicon oxide
caged complexes (e.g., silsesquioxanes).
Alternatively, the first and second coatings may differ in optical
properties. For example, the first optical property comprises light
absorption or emission at a first wavelength, and the second
optical property comprises light absorption or emission at a second
wavelength (e.g., by a lanthanide-containing coating or the like).
Alternatively, the first optical property could be reduced or
non-transmission of light (opaqueness) while the second optical
property is transparency (or vice versa). Another embodiment of
interest includes first and second coatings that have different
bandgap energies, e.g., to alter the electron and/or conductivity
properties of the coated nanostructure.
As another example, the first and second coatings can differ in a
physical property such as solubility, e.g., in a selected solvent.
For example, the first coating can render the coated nanostructures
soluble in a selected solvent, to facilitate dispersal, deposition,
or the like of the nanostructures, while nanostructures including
the second coating are less soluble in the selected solvent. It
will be evident that the first and second coatings can have
combinations of the above properties; for example, the first
coating may increase solubility in a selected solvent, while the
second coating is nonconductive.
Silicon Oxide Cage Complexes
In a preferred embodiment, the ligand coating used to coat the
nanostructures is a silicon oxide cage complex. The polycyclic
silicon-containing compounds known as silsesquioxanes (or
silasesquioxanes), e.g., polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes
(POSS), are one type of soluble discrete silicon oxide cage complex
(see, for example, Hanssen supra). Exemplary silsesquioxanes
include hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) and methyl silsesquioxane
(MSQ); additional silsesquioxane structures are provided in FIG. 1
(in which the R groups include a variety of chemical moieties,
including, but not limited to, short chain alkyl groups such as
methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, longer chain alkyl groups such
as isooctyl and norbornyl, as well as aromatic and non-aromatic
cyclic structures such as phenyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and
cycloheptyl groups. The silsesquioxane can be either a closed cage
structure or a partially open cage structure (e.g., in which some
of the ring oxygens are not coupled to both adjacent silicon atoms;
see for example, FIG. 5B). The non-silicate organic group, which is
located along an edge or at a corner of the cage complex, can be
functionalized to accommodate binding of the ligand to an exposed
surface of the nanostructure. Optionally, the non-silicate group
can function as an electron withdrawing (or electron donating)
group. Functional groups which can be incorporated into the
silsesquioxane moiety include, but are not limited to, alkyl,
alcohol, phosphine, phosphonate, thiol, ether, carboxylate, amine,
epoxide, alkene and aryl groups, as well as other nanostructure
binding moieties, solubilizing moieties, or electron
withdrawing/donating groups of interest.
One preferred derivatization is the incorporation of boron into the
silicon oxide cage monomer, which, will produce a second coating of
boron oxide and silicon oxide upon heat treatment.
Exemplary silsesquioxane frameworks are provided in FIG. 1.
Silsesquioxanes can be either purchased or synthesized, for
example, by hydrolytic condensation of RSiCl.sub.3 or RSi(OR).sub.3
monomers (see, for example, Feher et al. (1989) J. Am. Chem. Soc.
111:1741; Brown et al. (1964) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 86:1120; Brown et
al. (1965) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 87:4313 4323). The nature of the caged
structures formed during synthesis (e.g., type of polyhedral,
closed versus open) can be directed by manipulation of the reaction
conditions including solvent choice, pH, temperature, and by the
choice of R-group substituent (Feher et al. (1995) Polyhedron
14:3239 3253). Additional silsesquioxane frameworks (e.g., for
derivatization with nanostructure binding moieties) are available
from Hybrid Plastics (Fountain Valley, Calif.; on the world wide
web at hybridplastics.com).
Typically, the silsesquioxane frameworks are coupled to one or more
nanostructure binding moieties prior to use as compositions or in
the methods of the present invention. Any of a number of standard
coupling reactions known in the art can be used to derivatize the
silsesquioxane framework, e.g. with one or more nanostructure
binding head groups. See, for example, the reactions described in
Feher et al. (1995) Polyhedron 14:3239 3253. Additional information
regarding general synthesis techniques (as known to one of skill in
the art) can be found in, for example, Fessendon and Fessendon,
(1982) Organic Chemistry, 2nd Edition, Willard Grant Press, Boston
Mass.; Carey & Sundberg, (1990) Advanced Organic Chemistry, 3rd
Edition, Parts A and B, Plenum Press, New York; and March (1985)
Advanced Organic Chemistry, 3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New
York. Optionally, the standard chemical reactions described therein
are modified to enhance reaction efficiency, yield, and/or
convenience.
Silsesquioxane compositions for use as first coatings in the
present invention include (but are not limited to) the compositions
provided in FIG. 5 and Table 1.
Additional discrete silicates can also be derivatized with
nanostructure binding moieties to form compositions of the present
invention. For example, cyclopentyltrimethoxysilane (CAS
143487-47-2) will condense with water and assemble into cage
structures. The nanostructure binding head group can then be
coupled to one or more of the free hydroxyl positions, either
before or after cage formation.
Phosphosilicate ligands are another preferred embodiment for use in
the compositions and methods described herein. As depicted in FIG.
2, the phosphate group on the phosphosilicate ligand can be
utilized to couple the ligand to a nanostructure. Preferably,
phosphosilicate ligands that could be thermally decomposed into
SiO.sub.2 are utilized in the methods and compositions of the
present invention; shells incorporating SiO.sub.2 would lead to
higher barrier height than ZnS, and potentially higher temperature
tolerances during subsequent processing or manufacturing steps.
Exemplary phosphosilicate ligands are provided in FIG. 5, panels A
and B.
Additional ligands having thiol moieties as the nanostructure
binding head groups are depicted in FIG. 5, panels D I. It will be
evident that certain nanostructure binding groups are preferred for
certain nanostructure compositions; for example, ligands having
thiol (e.g., aryl thiol) moieties are preferred ligands for certain
metal nanostructures (e.g., Pd nanostructures).
Exemplary nanostructure binding moieties, one or more of which is
typically independently coupled to the silicon oxide cage complex
via an oxygen or silicon atom, include, but are not limited to: the
protonated or deprotonated forms of phosphonate, phosphinate,
carboxylate, sulfonate, sulfinate, amine, alcohol, amide, and/or
thiol moieties, ester moieties of phosphonate, phosphinate,
carboxylate, sulfonate, and sulfinate, phosphines, phosphine
oxides, and epoxides.
Polyoxometalates
In other embodiments of the present invention, the ligand coating
used to coat the nanostructures is a polyoxometalate.
Polyoxometalates are metal-oxygen cluster anions, typically formed
from early transition metals (V, N, Ta, Mo and W) in their highest
oxidation state. Numerous derivatives can be prepared from
polyoxometalate compositions, including halide, alkoxyl, thiol,
phospho, and organosilyl derivatives; for a good review, see
Gouzerh and Proust (1990) Chem. Rev. 98:77 111. For example,
polyoxovandanate derivatives can be used as first coatings in the
compositions and methods of the present invention. The first
ligands would then be converted to a second coating comprising
vanadium oxide, having properties comparable to those of silicon
oxides.
The polyoxometalates can be used as a first coating on the
nanostructure, and subsequently converted to a second coating
having differing properties. Certain polyoxometalates (for example,
acid forms of molybdenum and tungsten-based polyoxometalates) have
photochromic or electrochromic properties, which can be reduced or
altered upon conversion to a second coating (e.g., by treatment
with an organic reducing agent, or by exposure to an externally
applied electric field (see, for example, Yamase (1998) Chem. Rev.
98:307 325)).
Other Ligand Compositions
Optionally, the second ligand includes a catechol functional group,
which can be used to tune the electrochemical properties of the
second coating. Catechol functional groups for use in the present
invention include, but are not limited to, pyrocatechol, salicylic
acid, and 2,2-biphenol (see, for example, Gigant et al. (2001) J.
Am. Chem. Soc. 123:11632 11637).
In many embodiments of the present invention, the second coating is
an insulating composition (e.g., used to form an insulating shell
around the nanostructure). In a preferred embodiment, the second
coating is a metal oxide, or a glass or glass-like composition
capable of forming oxide polyhedra. Silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2),
boron oxide (B.sub.2O.sub.3), and titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2) are
preferred second coatings components that can be generated from the
first coatings of the present invention by, e.g., thermal
degradation (although other oxidation states can also be employed).
Other second coatings of interest include, but are not limited to,
compositions including GeO.sub.2, P.sub.2O.sub.5, AsO.sub.5,
P.sub.2O.sub.3, As.sub.2O.sub.3, Sb.sub.2O.sub.3, V.sub.2O.sub.5,
Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, SnO.sub.2 and WO.sub.3, as well
as other oxidation states of the provided metal oxides.
Exemplary Compositions
Exemplary compositions for use as the first coating in the present
invention are provided in Table 1 below, as well as in FIGS. 5 and
6.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Compound 1 ##STR00001## where R is a
cyclopentyl group Compound 2 ##STR00002## where R is a cyclopentyl
group Compound 3 ##STR00003## where R is a hydrogen or alkyl group
Compound 4 ##STR00004## where R is an alkyl group, a heteroatom, or
an electron withdrawing group Compound 5 ##STR00005## where R is an
alkyl group or a nanostructure binding group Compound 6
##STR00006## where R is a hydrogen, an alkyl group, or a
nanostructure binding group Compound 7 ##STR00007## where R is a
halide, a leaving group, or a nanostructure binding group Compound
8 ##STR00008## wherein R is an isobutyl group Compound 9
##STR00009## where R is an isobutyl group Compound 10 ##STR00010##
where R is an alkyl group or a hydrogen atom Compound 11
##STR00011## where R is an alkyl group Compound 12 ##STR00012##
where R is an isobutyl group Compound 13 ##STR00013## where R is a
cyclohexyl group
Other exemplary compositions for use as the first coating include,
but are not limited to, compounds like Compounds 1 3,5 6, and 8 13,
but where R is an organic group or a hydrogen atom. For example, R
can be a hydrocarbon group. In certain embodiments, R is an alkyl
group (e.g., a cyclic alkyl group or a short alkyl group having
fewer than 20 or even fewer than 10 carbon atoms), an aryl group,
an alkylaryl group, an alkenyl group, or an alkynyl group. For
example, in some embodiments, R is an isobutyl group, a methyl
group, a hexyl group, a cyclopentyl group, or a cyclohexyl
group.
In one aspect, the present invention also provides compositions for
individually coating discrete nanostructures with a dielectric
coating. The composition includes a first component comprising a
silicon oxide cage complex and a second component comprising one or
more nanostructure binding moieties, wherein each nanostructure
binding moiety is independently coupled to the silicon oxide cage
complex, e.g., via an oxygen or silicon atom. The compositions of
the present invention are converted to the dielectric coating after
deposition of the composition on a surface of the
nanostructure.
Nanostructures
Nanostructures prepared by any of a number of synthetic techniques
known in the art can be used to prepare a discrete coated
nanostructure of the present invention, including both
semiconductor and metallic nanostructures, for example. Typically,
the first coating is converted to the second coating after
completion of synthesis of the nanostructure, e.g., after the
nanostructures have been removed from any solvents or building
materials used during the synthesis process. Preferably, the first
coating is not difficult to displace from the nanostructure
surface.
Optionally, the nanostructures are associated with the surface of a
substrate, such as a silicon wafer or a TEM grid. In some
embodiments, the substrate has been treated with a composition for
association with the nanostructures, such as a functionalized
self-assembly monolayer (SAM) ligand. Exemplary compositions for
functionalizing the substrate surface include a silicon nitride
coating, a silane ligand having a nanostructure binding moiety, or
other chemical moiety that can provide or accept a proton for
hydrogen-bonding to the coated nanostructure (e.g. amine, alcohol,
phosphonate, fluorine or other non-carbon heteroatom). For example,
the silane ligand can include structures having the formula
[X.sub.3Si-spacer-binding group(s)] where X is a Cl, OR, alkyl,
aryl, other hydrocarbon, heteroatom, or a combination of these
groups, and where the spacer is an alkyl, aryl and/or heteroatom
combination. Optionally, the structure of the ligand can be
responsive to light activation, leading to crosslinking of ligands
(e.g., to each other, or the surface of the SAL coated substrate)
via inclusion of a photo-crosslinkable group. Exemplary surface
ligands for use in the present invention (referred to generically
as "SAL" in FIG. 4) are commercially available from Gelest Inc.
(Tullytown, Pa.; on the world wide web at gelest.com).
The individual nanostructures employed in the compositions include,
but are not limited to, a nanocrystal, a nanodot, a nanowire, a
nanorod, a nanotube, a quantum dot, a nanoparticle, a nanotetrapod,
a tripod, a bipod, a branched nanocrystal, or a branched tetrapod.
The present invention is not limited to either semiconductor
nanostructures or metallic nanostructures; the type of
nanostructure employed is determined in part by the purpose for
which it is intended. While any of these nanostructure embodiments
can be used in the present invention, spherical, nearly spherical,
and/or isotropic nanocrystals such as nanodots and/or quantum dots
are used as the prototypical nanostructure for illustration
purposes. For many embodiments, the diameter (e.g., a first
dimension) of the coated nanodot or quantum dot is less than about
10 nm, and optionally less than about 8 nm, 6 nm, 5 nm, or 4 nm. In
some embodiments, the nanostructure (e.g., dot) diameters ranges
from about 2 nm to about 4 nm. In a preferred embodiment for use
with densely-packed nanostructure arrays, the diameter of the
coated quantum dot or nanodot is less than or equal to about 6 nm,
or optionally less than or equal to about 3.5 nm.
Nanostructures, such as nanocrystals, quantum dots, nanoparticles
and the like, can be fabricated by a number of mechanisms known to
one of skill in the art. Furthermore, their size can be controlled
by any of a number of convenient methods that can be adapted to
different materials, and they are optionally washed to remove
excess surfactants remaining from their synthesis and/or excess
ligands. See, for example, U.S. patent applications U.S. Ser. No.
10/796,832 to Scher et al. titled "Process for producing
nanocrystals and nanocrystals produced thereby," filed Mar. 10,
2004; U.S. Ser. No. 60/544,285 to Scher et al. titled "Methods of
processing nanocrystals, compositions, devices and systems using
same," filed Feb. 11, 2004; U.S. Ser. No. 60/628,455 to Scher et
al. titled "Process for group III V semiconductor nanostructure
synthesis and compositions made using same," filed Nov. 15, 2004;
and U.S. Ser. No. 60/637,409 to Whiteford, et al. titled "Process
for group 10 metal nanostructure synthesis and compositions made
using same," filed Dec. 16, 2004; and references therein.
The nanostructures employed in the nanostructure-containing
compositions of the present invention can be fabricated from
essentially any convenient materials. For example, the nanocrystals
can comprise inorganic materials, e.g., a semiconducting material
selected from a variety of Group II VI, Group III V, or Group IV
semiconductors, and including, e.g., a material comprising a first
element selected from Group II of the periodic table and a second
element selected from Group VI (e.g., ZnS, ZnO, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS,
CdSe, CdTe, HgS, HgSe, HgTe, MgS, MgSe, MgTe, CaS, CaSe, CaTe, SrS,
SrSe, SrTe, BaS, BaSe, BaTe, and like materials); a material
comprising a first element selected from Group III and a second
element selected from Group V (e.g., GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InN,
InP, InAs, InSb, and like materials); a material comprising a Group
IV element (Ge, Si, and like materials); a material such as PbS,
PbSe, PbTe, AlS, AIP, and AlSb; or an alloy or a mixture thereof.
Metals such as Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, Ni, Fe, Sn, Zn, Ti, Ir, and Co can
also be used in the synthesis of nanostructures for use in the
present invention, as can metal oxides. Further details regarding
nanocrystalline structures for use in the present invention can be
found, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/656,802,
filed Sep. 4, 2003, titled "Nanocomposite Based Photovoltaic
Devices" and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for
all purposes.
In a preferred embodiment, the devices of the present invention
employ nanostructures comprising small, roughly spherical CdSe or
Pd nanocrystals, or other metal or semiconductor-based
nanostructures that can be synthesized as spherical, nearly
spherical, and/or isotropic nanoparticles (such as nanodots and/or
quantum dots).
Methods for Post-Deposition Shell Formation on a Nanostructure
Methods for making and using core/shell CdSe/ZnS semiconductors
prepared via deposition on or in a layer of conducting organic
material are known in the art, but these methods present several
problems. For example, the thin ZnS shell of the
nanostructure:shell construct does not have a high enough energy
barrier to prevent leakage of the charge from of the nanostructure.
While this problem can be addressed by growing a very thick ZnS
shell, this approach is synthetically impractical, as after several
monolayers, the strain causes defect formation, the nanocrystals
become insoluble, and the spacing between the nanocrystals would be
too large to meet the packing density desired for memory
applications. The problem could theoretically be addressed by
growing a core structure (CdSe) having a first shell (ZnS) and an
additional shell (SiO.sub.2), however, this approach would also
have the same disadvantages with respect to defect formation,
solubility and spacing. The present invention circumvents these
problems, either by performing a ligand exchange directly onto the
selected nanostructure using a ligand that can be turned into a
second coating (for example, an oxide) upon curing but will
maintain the nanostructure solubility in organic solvents (e.g.,
for deposition purposes), or by growing the nanostructures in the
presence of such a ligand.
The present invention provides methods for post-deposition shell
formation on a nanostructure. These methods include the steps of a)
providing one or more nanostructures having a ligand composition
associated with a first surface, which a ligand composition is
capable of being converted to a second coating having differing
electrical, optical, physical or structural properties (e.g., to a
rigid shell), and b) curing the ligand composition and generating
the second coating (e.g., the rigid shell) on the first surface of
the nanostructure, thereby forming a shell on the nanostructure
post-deposition of the ligand composition on the nanostructure. The
methods of the present invention are preferably performed at
temperatures that do not compromise or degrade the structural
and/or physical properties of the nanostructure.
In one class of embodiments, the nanostructures having the ligand
composition associated therewith are provided by exchanging surface
ligands. In this class of embodiments, providing one or more
nanostructures having a ligand composition associated with a first
surface comprises providing one or more nanostructures having one
or more surfactants associated with the first surface and
exchanging the surfactants on the first surface with the ligand
composition. In another class of embodiments, the nanostructures
are synthesized in the presence of the ligand composition, and no
ligand exchange is necessary.
Providing the Nanostructures
The methods of the present invention can be used to generate a
shell or second coating on any of a number of nanostructures,
including, but not limited to, a nanocrystal, a nanodot, a
nanowire, a nanorod, a nanotube, a quantum dot, a nanoparticle, a
nanotetrapod, a nanotripod, a nanobipod, a branched nanostructure,
and the like. Furthermore, the methods of the present invention are
not limited to nanostructures prepared by a specific synthetic
approach. For example, organometallic solution-based syntheses of
Pd, CdSe, CdTe and CdS nanocrystals typically employ various
surfactants and/or fatty acids as solubilizing agents (see, for
example, U.S. patent publication 2002/0066401 to Peng et al. titled
"Synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals," U.S. patent publication
2003/173541 to Peng et al. titled "Colloidal nanocrystals with high
photoluminescence quantum yields and methods of preparing the
same," Kim et al. (2003) NanoLetters 3:1289 1291, and Qu et al.
(2001) NanoLetters 1:333 337, and references cited therein).
Nanostructures prepared using these or other weakly-binding organic
compositions can be employed in the methods of the present
invention.
Exchanging Surface Ligands
In some embodiments of the methods, the nanostructures are provided
by preparing or growing the initial structures (e.g., the core
nanostructure components) in the presence of a weakly binding
organic composition (the "growth ligand"). The growth ligand has a
weaker association with the nanostructure than the ligand used to
generate the first coating (a "replacement ligand"), and thus can
be readily exchanged, e.g., by mass action.
The nanostructures employed in the methods of the present invention
commonly have one or more organic compositions, or growth ligands,
associated with the nanostructure surface (e.g., for solubilizing
the nanostructure during the synthesis procedure). Typical growth
ligands include surfactants, for example, phosphines or phosphine
oxides such as trioctyl phosphine (TOP), tri-n-butyl phosphine
(TBP), or trioctyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) or acids such as
hexadecyl phosphonic acid (HDPA) or octadecyl phosphonic acid
(ODPA). Alternatively or in addition, various long chain carboxylic
acids (e.g., fatty acids, such as stearic, palmitic, myristic,
lauric, capric, caprylic, caproic and butyric acids, as well as
other saturated or nonsaturated lipid-like structures) may have
been employed during synthesis and remain associated with the
nanostructure surface. In the methods of the present invention, the
growth ligands are exchanged for a ligand composition capable of
being converted to a second ligand or second coating having a
different electrical, optical, physical or structural property,
thereby forming a ligand-exchanged nanostructure composition. In a
preferred embodiment, the growth ligands are exchanged for a ligand
composition capable of being converted to a rigid insulating shell,
such as an oxide.
Exchanging the surfactants associated with the nanostructure
surface with a ligand or first coating of the present invention can
be achieved by any of a number of mechanisms known in the art. In
one embodiment, exchanging the surfactants involves suspending or
dissolving the nanostructures in an organic solvent, and combining
the suspended nanostructures with the ligand composition. Solvents
that can be used for the exchange process include any that are
typically employed in conjunction with nanostructure synthesis and
processing, such as toluene, chloroform, chlorobenzene, and the
like. The temperature at which the exchanging step is performed
will depend upon the ligands involved and may range from room
temperature to elevated temperatures equal or greater than
100.degree. C., 200.degree. C., 300.degree. C. and the like. For
example, surface ligands comprising sulfonic acid moieties can be
exchanged without substantial heating, and optionally can be
performed at room temperature.
In another embodiment, the nanostructures are coupled to or
associated with a substrate surface (e.g., a solid phase embodiment
rather than in solution). The organic surfactants on the
nanostructure surface can be removed in situ, for example, via a
low temperature organic stripping process (at temperatures
<500.degree. C., and optionally between 200 350.degree. C.). The
stripping process is optionally followed by oxidation using, e.g.,
a reactive oxygen species. The replacement ligand (e.g., the ligand
of the first coating) is subsequently applied to the nanostructure
by any of a number of techniques known in the art (vapor
deposition, spraying, dipping, etc.).
Self Assembly of Monolayers
Optionally, the ligand coated nanostructures are induced to form
monolayers due to intermolecular self-assembly forces. For example,
in a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides
nanocrystals with silsesquioxane or silicate ligands tailored for
charge storage applications. Preferably, the nanostructures are
arranged into close packed arrays, or more preferably high density
and/or ordered close-packed arrays. Controlled self-assembly of the
close-packed arrays can be achieved by various wet-process methods,
such as deposition of the nanostructure-first ligand composition
onto self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) or otherwise functionalized
substrates or oxides, or by evaporation-driven assembly.
The member components of the self-assembled monolayer associate
with both the surface of the substrate as well as the
nanostructure, thus forming a bridge or linker between the two.
Various SAM compositions for use in the present invention include,
but are not limited to, organosilanes, phosphonic acids,
phosphines, thiols, amines, heteroatoms, and the like. In one
preferred embodiment, the SAM consists of a silane ligand with a
binding head for the silsesquioxane or silicate ligand. In an
alternate preferred embodiment, the substrates are directly
functionalized with binding groups suitable for binding to the
nanocrystals. The nanostructures are applied in a solution and
deposited on the SAM or functionalized substrate by, e.g.,
spin-coating, dip-coating, spray-coating, or conventional printing
technologies. The excess (unbound) nanostructures are subsequently
washed off the substrate using an organic solvent such as toluene
or chloroform, resulting in a monolayer of nanocrystals coated with
silicon-containing ligands.
Alternatively, the monolayers can be prepared by evaporation-driven
assembly, without the need of specially treated substrates. The
nanocrystals are deposited on the substrate from solution by
spin-coating, dip-coating, spray-coating, or conventional printing
technologies. By controlling the de-wetting process of the solvent,
well-ordered arrays of nanocrystals can be obtained.
Further details regarding monolayer formation can be found, for
example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/671,134 to Heald et
al. titled "Methods and devices for forming nanostructure
monolayers and devices including such monolayers," filed Apr. 3,
2005, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
Curing the Ligand Composition and Generating the Second Coating
After deposition and monolayer formation, the substrate can be
thermally annealed to cure the layer of first coating (and thereby
form the second layer, which in some embodiments is a rigid
insulating shell, on the first surface of the nanostructure). The
technique used for the curing step will depend upon the type of
ligand composition employed in the method. The curing can be done
under inert atmosphere, such as argon or nitrogen, or under oxygen,
for example. The temperature of the curing process can be adjusted
for the surface ligands. For example, curing the composition can
involve heating the nanostructure having the ligand composition
associated therewith to form the rigid shell on the nanostructure
surface. Heating can be performed in one or more stages, and using
various equipment such as a hot plate or quartz furnace (see Yang
et al (2001) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 25:339 343). In some
embodiments, the ligand:nanostructure complex is heated to less
than about 500.degree. C., and optionally, to between 200
350.degree. C. Thermal curing of silsesquioxane ligands typically
involves heating the silsesquioxane-containing composition to
temperatures of less than about 500.degree. C., and preferably less
than about 350.degree. C., thereby transforming the cage structures
into a network structure. In other embodiments involving
silicon-containing ligands, the thermal curing process decomposes
the first coating into a second coating of SiO.sub.2. Conversion of
the first coating to the second coating (or shell) can be
monitored, for example, via thermogravimetric analysis using an
FTIR spectrometer (see Yang (2001) supra, and references cited
therein).
In alternate embodiments, conversion of the ligand composition from
the first coating to a second coating or shell having altered
electronic or optical properties can include irradiating the
composition. For example, for embodiments employing PMMA precursors
or carboxylate diene or diacetylene moieties, the polymerization
process is light activated, leading to crosslinkage of the first
coating to form the organic shell (second coating).
In some embodiments, the one or more nanostructures provided in the
methods of the present invention are coupled to a substrate via a
second nanostructure surface. Optionally, this substrate is a
silicon wafer. In some embodiments, the member nanostructures are
encapsulated prior to association with the substrate surface, while
in other embodiments, a first portion of a member nanostructure is
associated with the substrate, and a second portion of the member
nanostructure is associated with the first coating or the second
coating. Optionally, the surface of the silicon wafer includes a
silane ligand coupled to a second nanostructure binding moiety,
e.g., to facilitate association of the substrate with a portion of
the nanostructure surface.
The curing process is optionally followed by spin coating of
another layer of e.g., first coating, silicate, or the like, onto
the substrate-bound coated nanostructures, and thermal curing,
thereby providing a top coating or overlay. In some embodiments,
the top layer is an insulating oxide layer. The methods of the
present invention optionally further include the step of applying a
planarization composition as the overlay or top coating composition
applied to the substrate-coupled nanostructures. The optional
planarization composition can be applied either before or after the
step of curing the ligand composition. The planarization
composition fills any remaining narrow spaces and produces a
(relatively) flat surface on the treated portion of the wafer
and/or nanostructure composition. Preferably, the top coating or
planarization material is compatible with the rigid shell of the
coated nanostructure. Optionally, the planarization composition is
a dielectric material (either similar or different in composition
from the second coating composition).
Exemplary planarization materials include, but are not limited to,
various silicates, phosphosilicates, and siloxanes referred to as
Spin On Glass (SOG). Optionally, the ligand compositions of the
present invention can be used as the planarization composition.
The present invention also provides nanostructures having a rigid
shell formed post-deposition as prepared by the methods described
herein. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid shell comprises
silicon or silicon oxide, and the diameter of the
nanostructure:shell composition is less than or equal to about 6
nm.
Method for Reducing Charge Diffusion Among a Plurality of Quantum
Dots
In a further aspect, the present invention provides methods for
reducing charge diffusion among a plurality of nanostructures,
e.g., nanodots, and particularly quantum dots. The methods include
the steps of coupling a ligand composition comprising an electron
withdrawing group to a surface of a member nanodot (or quantum dot
or other nanostructure), and forming a dipole on the surface of the
member nanodot and increasing the electron affinity of the nanodot,
thereby reducing any charge diffusion (such as lateral charge
diffusion) among the nanodots. Optionally, the nanostructures thus
formed are used in the compositions and methods for post-deposition
shell formation as described herein.
Many of the ligand compositions of the present invention have
electron withdrawing characteristics and can be utilized as
electron-withdrawing compositions in the present methods (e.g.,
silicon oxide cage complexes such as silsesquioxanes). In some
embodiments, the electron withdrawing composition includes a
fluorine atom (for example, F, SiF, an SiF derivative, or a
fluorine polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene). In other
embodiments, the ligand composition is a boron-containing
composition (e.g., an aryl-boron oligomer or a boronic acid
composition). Optionally, the electron withdrawing composition
includes a nanostructure binding group, such as a phosphonic acid
moiety, phosphonate ester, or other nanostructure binding moiety
such as those described herein, for coupling to the nanostructure
surface.
Optionally, the first and second properties of the ligand
compositions of the present invention are photochromism-related
properties (e.g., involving color changes induced in the coating by
an incoming stimulus, such as light or other incident
electromagnetic radiation). In some embodiments, the electron
withdrawing composition comprises a light-activated intramolecular
salt, e.g., a spiropyran. Exemplary intramolecular salts for use in
the methods and compositions of the present invention include, but
are not limited to,
HOOCCH.sub.2CH(NH(CH.sub.3).sub.2)CH.sub.2CH.sub.2PO.sub.3H.sub.2.
See also Leaustic et al. (2001) "Photochromism of cationic
spiropyran-doped silica gel" New. J. Chem. 25:1297 1301 and
references cited therein.
In one class of embodiments, the plurality of nanodots (or quantum
dots or other nanostructures) comprises discrete quantized photon
generation and transfer media or discrete quantized charge storage
or charge transfer media.
The present invention also provides one or more (e.g., a plurality
of) nanodots (for example, quantum dots) or other nanostructures
having reduced charge diffusion, as prepared by the methods
described herein. The nanostructures optionally have a rigid shell
formed post-deposition of the ligand composition, e.g., a rigid
shell comprising silicon or silicon oxide. The nanostructures can
be of essentially any material, size, and/or shape. In one
preferred class of embodiments, a diameter of the nanostructures is
less than 6 nm, e.g., less than 3.5 nm.
Additional details regarding suitable ligand compositions for
modifying nanostructure properties can be found, e.g., in U.S.
patent application 60/635,799 by Whiteford et al. entitled
"Compositions and methods for modulation of nanostructure energy
levels," filed Dec. 13, 2004.
Methods for Fabricating a Memory Device
The present invention also provides methods for fabricating a
nanostructure-based memory device that uses the nanocrystals to
store charge. As described in Coe et al. 2002, supra, core/shell
CdSe/ZnS semiconductors can be deposited on/in a layer of
conducting organic material. However, there are several problems
with this previously described method. First, the thin ZnS shell
generated by this method does not have a high enough energy barrier
to prevent leakage of the charge out of the nanocrystal. While this
problem could theoretically be addressed by growing a very thick
ZnS shell, this approach is synthetically impractical. After
deposition of several monolayers of shell, the strain causes defect
formation, and/or the nanocrystals become insoluble, thereby
providing a practical limitation to feasible shell thickness.
Furthermore, the spacing between the thickly coated nanocrystals
would be too large to meet the packing density desired for memory
applications. The problem might also be addressed by growing a core
(CdSe) shell (ZnS) and a third shell (SiO2), an approach that is
synthetically feasible but has similar issues as to those listed
above. The present invention takes the novel approach of performing
a ligand exchange directly onto the nanostructure (for example,
small, roughly spherical CdSe or Pd nanocrystals) using a ligand
composition as provided herein (e.g., a modified silsesquioxane
ligand). (Alternately, as noted, the nanostructure can be grown in
the presence of the ligand composition.) Preferably, the first
coating of ligand can be converted or cured into an oxide, and will
maintain the nanostructure solubility in organic solvents for
deposition purposes.
The methods for fabricating a nanostructure-based memory device
that uses the nanocrystals to store charge include the steps of a)
providing a plurality of nanostructures the members of which have
associated therewith a weakly binding growth ligand; b) exchanging
the growth ligand with a replacement ligand and forming a first
coating on the member nanostructures; c) associating the coated
member nanostructures with a surface of a substrate; and d)
converting the first coating to a second coating that differs in
one or more electrical, optical, physical or structural properties,
thereby fabricating a nanostructure-based memory device. In a
related class of embodiments, steps a and b are replaced by a
single step, in which the nanostructures are synthesized in the
presence of the ligand, whereby the ligand forms a first coating on
the member nanostructures. Preferably, nanoparticles having
spherical, nearly spherical, and/or isotropic geometries (such as
nanodots and/or quantum dots) are most effective for close packing
of the nanostructures. Exchanging the growth ligand or surfactant
for a replacement ligand of the first coating can be done, for
example, by mass action exchange. To facilitate this process, the
binding constants for the weakly bound growth ligand are preferably
less than those of the ligand for use in the first coating.
One advantage to this approach to nanostructure synthesis is that
the nanostructure product contains fewer organic contaminants than
those prepared by methods currently available. Another advantage is
that the length of the replacement ligand can be tuned to control
the diameter of the coated nanostructure and thus properly space
the nanocrystals apart to reduce and/or prevent charge leakage,
while still allowing high density packing.
Devices
Many electronic and optical applications can be manufactured using
the nanostructure-containing compositions of the present invention.
Particularly, any device that employs (or can be devised to employ)
nanodot nanostructures would benefit from the compositions and
methods of the present invention. For example, various electronic
applications such as transistors and memory devices could be
prepared using the nanostructure-containing compositions of the
present invention. Light emitting applications, such as LEDs, back
plane lighting for LCDs, phosphors, PVs, photodetectors, and
photodiodes could also employ the nanostructure-containing
compositions of the present invention, as could other
optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaic devices. Furthermore,
the coated nanostructures could be employed in signal dampening
compositions and/or as detectable labels (e.g., based upon a second
optical property having a specified emission wavelength.)
The nanostructure-containing compositions of the present invention
are particularly useful for the construction of flash memory
constructs. Flash memory is a type of electrically-erasable
programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) that can be rapidly erased
and reprogrammed. Devices utilizing this type of
constantly-powered, nonvolatile memory can operate at higher
effective speeds than standard EEPROM devices, since the memory is
altered in blocks, instead of one byte at a time.
Flash memory typically encodes a single bit per cell, which
comprises two transistors (a control gate and a floating gate)
separated by a thin oxide layer. The cell is characterized by the
specific threshold voltage between the two gates. Electrical charge
is programmed/stored on the floating gate, which also controls the
two possible voltage levels between the transistors (the on/off
status of the cell). Multi-bit technology is also being developed,
in which the cells have two or more voltage thresholds (i.e., the
voltage across each cell has been divided into greater than two
levels). Additional details of nanostructure-based memory devices,
transistors, and the like can be found, e.g., in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/018,572 by Xiangfeng Duan et al. entitled
"Nano-enabled memory devices and anisotropic charge carrying
arrays", filed Dec. 21, 2004.
As noted herein, unregulated signal transmission between proximal
signal carriers (cross-talk) reduces the performance/efficiency of
a given device. One mechanism by which cross-talk among
nanostructures in a nanostructure-containing device can be reduced
is by increasing the distance between the nanostructures. This
approach is particularly useful when dealing with nanoscale
structures such as quantum dots. Increasing the distance between
adjacent quantum dots can be accomplished by forming a rigid shell
encompassing each member dot, thereby controlling the distance
between them. The rigid shell is formed after deposition of a first
coating onto the discrete nanostructures, thereby maintaining the
discrete (physically separate) character of the individual
nanostructures. If made out of an appropriate (e.g., dielectric or
nonconductive) material, the rigid shell can also provide another
mechanism for reducing cross-talk between nanostructures.
The nanostructure-containing compositions of the present invention
can be prepared at densities of 10.sup.10/cm.sup.2,
10.sup.11/cm.sup.2, 10.sup.12/cm.sup.2, or greater without loss of
quantum confinement or increased cross-talk between member quantum
dots.
The present invention provides novel processes for producing
heterostructural nanocrystals, e.g., nanocrystals that are
comprised of two or more different compositional elements where the
different elements together impart useful properties to the
nanocrystals. As noted herein, such heterostructures are typically
embodied in a core-shell orientation, where a core of a first
material is surrounded by a shell of a second material. It is worth
noting that the first material can comprise a conductor, a
semiconductor, or an insulator (e.g., a dielectric), and the second
material can likewise comprise a conductor, a semiconductor, or an
insulator (e.g., a dielectric), in any possible combinations (e.g.,
two conductive materials, a conductive material and an insulator,
etc.). The methods of the present invention provide flexibility of
processing to allow more facile fabrication of these nanocrystals,
as well as manipulation of certain parameters, e.g. sizes in the
sub-10 nm range, that were previously not attainable. As a result,
it is expected that any application to which typical core-shell
nanocrystals were to be put would be a potential application for
the compositions of the present invention, e.g., those nanocrystal
compositions made in accordance with the processes described
herein. In addition, a variety of additional applications will be
enabled by the abilities that are gained from these novel
processes.
Methods for Reversible Modification of Nanostructures
For some applications, e.g., fabrication of certain
nanostructure-based devices, nanostructures must withstand high
temperature processing, e.g., without melting and fusing with
adjacent nanostructures. Although nanostructures comprising a
material with a high melting point can be selected for use in such
applications, all materials have their melting point lowered as the
physical size of a structure is reduced to the nanometer range;
high temperature processing steps can thus be problematic even for
high melting point materials.
The present invention provides novel processes for reversibly
modifying nanostructures, e.g., nanostructure components of
semiconductor devices, to protect the nanostructures from
subsequent process steps. As one specific example, the methods of
the invention can be used to oxidize palladium quantum dots (e.g.,
by a high temperature anneal in an oxidizing atmosphere),
increasing their resistance to fusion during the process of
encapsulating the dots in an overlying dielectric while fabricating
a flash memory device. The oxidation can be reversed (e.g., by a
high temperature anneal in a reducing atmosphere) to convert the
palladium oxide back to pure (or substantially pure) palladium, to
capitalize on the properties of palladium metal for device
performance. It is worth noting that the methods of the invention
can protect nanostructures of any of variety of materials, shapes,
and sizes during a variety of subsequent manipulations, including
but not limited to exposure to high temperatures.
One general class of embodiments thus provides methods of
reversibly modifying nanostructures. In the methods, one or more
nanostructures comprising a metal are provided. The metal is
oxidized to produce a metal oxide, and the nanostructures are
processed. The metal oxide is then reduced to provide the
metal.
The metal can be oxidized by heating the nanostructures in an
oxidizing atmosphere (e.g., one comprising oxygen). The
nanostructures are typically heated to a temperature between about
200.degree. C. and about 700.degree. C. (e.g., between about
200.degree. C. and about 500.degree. C.). Similarly, the metal
oxide can be reduced by heating the nanostructures in a reducing
atmosphere, e.g., an atmosphere comprising hydrogen, e.g., a
forming gas (i.e., 5% H.sub.2 in N.sub.2). It will be evident that
the reactive gas(es) are preferably able to access the
nanostructures through any material(s) surrounding the
nanostructures. Alternatively, the nanostructures can be at least
partially reduced by heating in a nitrogen atmosphere. The
nanostructures are typically heated to a temperature between about
200.degree. C. and about 700.degree. C. (e.g., between about
200.degree. C. and about 500.degree. C.).
The nanostructures to be modified can be of essentially any size
and/or shape. Thus, for example, the nanostructures can include one
or more nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, branched nanocrystals,
nanotetrapods, tripods, bipods, nanocrystals, nanodots, quantum
dots, nanoparticles, branched tetrapods, or a combination thereof.
In one class of embodiments, the nanostructures are substantially
spherical nanostructures.
The methods can be used for nanostructures comprising any metal
that can undergo reversible oxidation. For example, the metal can
be a noble metal (e.g., Au, Ag, or Pt) or a transition metal (e.g.,
Ni, Fe, Sn, or Zn). In one preferred class of embodiments, the
metal is Pd; in this class of embodiments, the metal oxide is
typically PdO. The entire nanostructure or a portion thereof (e.g.,
a surface layer) can be oxidized. For example, greater than 10% of
the metal comprising a population of nanostructures can be
oxidized, e.g., greater than 20%, greater than 50%, greater than
75%, or even greater than 90%. Oxidation (and, conversely,
reduction) can be monitored, e.g., via a technique such as energy
dispersive spectrometry (EDS).
As noted, such reversible oxidation can protect nanostructures
during processing, e.g., certain device fabrication steps that are
performed at high temperature. Thus, for example, in one class of
embodiments, processing the nanostructures comprises exposing the
nanostructures to a temperature between about 200.degree. C. and
about 750.degree. C. (e.g., a temperature greater than about
250.degree. C., greater than about 500.degree. C., or greater than
about 600.degree. C.), or even to a temperature greater than about
750.degree. C. Such elevated temperatures can be encountered, for
example, when disposing a dielectric on the nanostructures.
The nanostructures can be protected, e.g., from fusion at high
temperature, by reversible oxidation. Additionally (or
alternatively), the nanostructures can be protected by a coating
such as those described herein. Thus, in one class of embodiments,
the one or more nanostructures provided have a first coating
associated with a first surface of each nanostructure. The first
coating has a first optical, electrical, physical or structural
property, and is capable of being converted to a second coating
having a different optical, electrical, physical or structural
property. The first and/or second coatings can be, e.g., any of
those described herein. Thus, for example, the second coating can
comprise an oxide, e.g., SiO.sub.2, optionally formed from a
silsesquioxane composition such as those described herein. The
first coating can be converted to the second coating by heating the
nanostructures in an oxidizing atmosphere; it will be evident that
the conversion can be simultaneous with oxidation of the metal. The
coating (e.g., SiO.sub.2) can help maintain physical separation
between the nanostructures and thus reduce the tendency for
adjacent nanostructures to fuse when exposed to high temperatures.
Silsesquioxane ligands contain substoichiometric oxygen for
formation of SiO.sub.2; curing a first coating comprising a
silsesquioxane in an oxidizing atmosphere can thus form a better
quality SiO.sub.2 second coating, which can also (or alternatively)
assist in blocking nanostructure fusion.
EXAMPLES
The following examples are offered to illustrate, but not to limit
the claimed invention. It is understood that the examples and
embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and
that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be
suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included
within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the
appended claims.
Example 1
Preparation of Closely Packed Nanostructure Monolayers
A method for preparing a substrate having closely packed
nanostructures is depicted schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4. A
nanodot (depicted as a sphere) is synthesized with surfactants that
coat the surface. The surfactants are ligand-exchanged for the
silsesquioxane or other silicate ligand (L).
A selected substrate (e.g., a silicon dioxide wafer) is coated with
a silane ligand bearing a nanostructure binding head group (B). The
silane ligands interact and associate into a self assembled
monolayer of surface assembly ligand (SAL) on the substrate
surface, providing a nanostructure-binding interface (as indicated
by the perpendicular arrows). An exemplary surface assembly ligand
includes a cyclic dimethyl amino moiety and a SiMe.sub.2 group
coupled together via a linker (cyclic dimethyl amino-organic
spacer-SiMe.sub.2).
The ligand exchanged nanodots are then put on the SAL substrate by
spin coating or dip coating with the solvent containing the dots.
The excess dots are washed off the substrate, resulting in a
monolayer of nanodots insulated with silicon dioxide containing
ligands. Due to the monolayer nature of the surface assembly
ligand, the nanodots are closely packed (shown in side view in FIG.
4). The nanostructure-bound substrate is then thermally annealed to
cure the layer, thus converting the first coating (for example, a
phosphosilicate ligand) into a second coating (a shell of
SiO.sub.2). The resulting annealed surface is optionally treated to
spin coating of another layer (a topcoat or overlay) of silicate
and thermal curing, to produce a nanodot memory device.
Example 2
Synthesis of Heptacyclopentyl POSS Disilanol Diethoxyphosphate
Synthesis of the exemplary polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
(POSS) ligand heptacyclopentyl POSS disilanol diethoxyphosphate 2
was performed as provided herein (FIG. 6). All procedures were
carried out under an inert atmosphere using Schlenk technique. The
solvents were dried over 4 .ANG. molecular sieves and degassed with
three freeze-vacuum-thaw cycles. The heptacyclopentyl POSS
trisilanol 1 was dried by static vacuum in a dessicator with
phosphorous pentoxide for 12 hours, and diethyl chlorophosphonate
(Cl--P(O)(OEt).sub.2 was vacuum transferred before use. Mass
spectrometry was performed at Scripps Research Institute in La
Jolla, and .sup.31P {.sup.1H} NMR spectroscopy was performed with a
Bruker FT NMR using .sup.31P at 162 MHz.
The reaction was set up in a 50 mL Schlenk flask. Heptacyclopentyl
POSS trisilanol 1 (1.00 g, 1.14 mmol) was dissolved in a
combination of toluene (10 mL) and triethylamine (15 mL) and
produced a clear solution. Then ClP(O)(OEt).sub.2 (0.650 g, 0.545
mL, 3.77 mmoles) was added by syringe while stirring over 1 minute.
After about 5 minutes, the clear solution turned cloudy. It was
stirred overnight under argon.
Approximately 20 hours after the addition of ClP(O)(OEt).sub.2, the
volatile components were removed by vacuum transfer. The residue
was extracted with hexane (3.times.8 mL) and the volatiles removed
again by vacuum transfer. The residue was dissolved in 1.25 mL of
toluene and precipitated out of solution as an oil with 6 mL of
acetonitrile. The upper phase was discarded and the precipitation
process repeated twice. Then the oil was dissolved in 6 mL of THF,
2 mL of toluene and eventually about 6 mL of acetonitrile. The last
solvent was added slowly with mixing until the solution turned
cloudy. Then the mixture was cooled to -35.degree. C. overnight,
which produced some white micro-crystals. The supernatant was
removed and the volatile solvents removed by vacuum transfer until
at about one third of the original starting volume remained, thus
providing a substantial quantity of white micro-crystals. The
remaining supernatant was removed leaving the product in the flask.
Then the white crystalline product 2 was dried under vacuum until a
pressure of <0.010 torr was attained for 1 hour. The product was
isolated as white micro-crystals 0.320 g, 0.313 mmol or 27.5%
yield. Mass Spec: ESI-TOF(-) m/z 1034 [M-H+Na], ESI-TOF(+) m/z 1011
[M-H]. NMR .sup.31P{.sup.1H} NMR (162 MHz, Tol-d.sub.8, 25 C)
.delta.-11.3 (s, 1P).
This reaction also works with 2.0 equivalents of
Cl--P(O)(OEt).sub.2 and 2.0 eq Et.sub.3N or pyridine in toluene.
The reaction procedure was performed as described above, including
the hexane washes, and the product was isolated by crystallization
at -35.degree. C. from a mixed solvent system consisting of THF,
toluene and acetonitrile.
Other silsesquioxane derivatives of the present invention include:
1) Closed Silicate Cage POSS molecule mono-silanol, having an
organic spacer bonded to the alcohol to give an ether (aryl or
alkyl derivatives), and a carbon bond on other end of the spacer
leading to the nanostructure binding head group. 2) Open Silicate
Cage POSS molecule tri-silanol, having three organic spacers bonded
to alcohols to give a tri-ether, and the carbon bond on the other
end of the spacer linking to the nanostructure binding moiety. 3)
Silicate dimer (or larger oligomer) compound prepared by
condensation. Difunctional Silane and mono-heteroatom
functionalized POSS, having a binding group centered at middle of
the difunctional Silane spacer unit. 4) Conversion of silicate
closed cage from endo to exo by selective (Si--O--Si) opening of
the cage (e.g., on one side) and modification of exposed di-ol with
the binding head group, for side access binding or cross-linking
cage molecules.
Example 3
Generation of a Monolayer of Coated Nanostructures On a SAM
The controlled self-assembly of monolayers of nanocrystals with
silsesquioxane or silicate ligands tailored for charge storage
applications can be achieved by various wet-process methods, such
as the deposition onto self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). This
approach can be used to prepare monolayers having close packed
nanostructure arrays, and preferably ordered close-packed
nanostructure arrays.
A self assembled monolayer consisting of a silane ligand with a
binding head for the silsesquioxane or silicate ligand is applied
to a substrate surface. The nanocrystals are deposited on the SAM
from solution by spin-, dip-, or spray-coating, or conventional
printing technologies. The excess dots are washed off the substrate
resulting in a monolayer of nanocrystals insulated with silicon
dioxide containing ligands.
Example 4
Generation of an Ordered Monolayer of Coated Nanostructures by
Evaporation-Driven Assembly
The nanostructure-containing monolayers of the present invention
can alternatively be prepared by evaporation-driven assembly. In
this embodiment, specially-treated substrates functionalized or
layered with chemical moieties for associating with the
nanostructure are not required. CdSe nanocrystals are drop-cast
onto a silicon nitride substrate. The dewetting process is
controlled by the composition of the surface ligand and by wicking
the surface with a solvent-absorbing cleanroom cloth. By
controlling the de-wetting process of the solvent, well-ordered
arrays of nanocrystals can be obtained.
Example 5
Preparation of Arrayed Nanostructures for Use in Memory Devices
The present invention describes a general approach to making a
memory device based on using nanocrystals for charge storage. The
method was reduced to practice using CdSe nanocrystals without a
shell, which were then ligand-exchanged with a silsesquioxane
ligand modified with a phosphonate ester head group to bind to the
nanocrystal. These nanocrystals were then deposited on an
oxide-coated substrate in monolayers.
The same general approach used, however, could be readily applied
to metal nanocrystals by modifying the nanocrystal synthesis to
make roughly spherical metal nanocrystals with weak binding
ligands, for example Pd nanocrystals. These would then be cleaned
and characterized, e.g., via NMR. The ligand would be modified by
attaching a different head group to the silsesquioxane, for example
a thiol or sulfonate group to better bind to the nanocrystal. The
ligand would be purified, and then characterized by NMR and mass
spectrometry. The ligand would be exchanged onto the nanocrystal
using VT-NMR to monitor the exchange. The exchanged nanocrystals
would then be cleaned to remove excess ligand. The nanocrystals
will then be deposited via spin-coating or evaporation onto the
prepared substrate (SAM coated, functionalized, or unfunctionalized
oxide substrate).
Various aspects of the present invention can be readily varied or
altered while still accomplishing the synthesis of discrete coated
nanostructures. The type of nanostructures employed can be varied:
CdSe, any II VI, III V, or group IV semiconductor, any metal
(including, but not limited to, Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, Ni, Fe, Sn, Zn, and
Co). A narrow size distribution can be provided either during the
initial synthesis, or by subsequent size selection. Furthermore,
the ligand binding group for either the weakly-bound growth ligand
or the first coating (e.g., oxide-related) ligand can be varied:
thiol, sulfonate, sulfinate, phosphinate, carboxylate, phosphonate,
phosphonate ester, amine, phosphine, etc. Various oxide ligands can
be generated (upon curing) depending upon the selection of first
coating and intended use, such as SiO.sub.x, TiO.sub.x, VnO.sub.x
or other oxides. The method of deposition can also be varied beyond
those described here.
Another method for forming an oxide would be to controllably
oxidize the nanocrystal surface (for example, by bubbling oxygen
through a dilute solution of nanocrystals) to produce an oxide that
provides an energy barrier (for example, a Co core with a cobalt
oxide shell). The first coating ligands of the present invention
could still be applied in solution and cured after deposition of
the monolayer. The approach applied in this memory application
could also be used for nanocrystals that need to be embedded in a
matrix, such as tagants or phosphors.
Example 6
Preparation of a Nanostructure-Based Charge Storage Device
Nanocrystal-based capacitors can be prepared, e.g., as a
demonstration of the feasibility of nanocrystal-based charge
storage devices such as flash memory devices. To fabricate such an
example device, a silicon wafer with a 3 6 nm thick tunnel oxide
layer on it is prepared. Palladium quantum dots having a ligand
composition of the invention (e.g., the POSS ligand illustrated in
FIG. 5 Panel F) associated therewith are prepared by surfactant
exchange or by synthesis in the presence of the ligand and
suspended in an organic solvent such as toluene. The nanocrystals
are then spun or dropped onto the surface of the oxide-coated
wafer, wet, and dried down. Excess nanocrystals are rinsed off,
leaving basically a monolayer of nanocrystals on the wafer. The
wafer is baked in an atmosphere comprising oxygen at 250.degree. C.
for 10 30 minutes to cure the ligand composition and form the
second coating (e.g., an SiO.sub.2 shell). Another oxide layer
(e.g., an SiO.sub.2 layer) is deposited on the nanocrystals by
chemical vapor deposition, and chrome and gold are evaporated onto
the oxide layer to form an electrode. The device can then be
characterized by measuring CV curves before and after applying
program and erase voltages.
While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for
purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be clear to one
skilled in the art from a reading of this disclosure that various
changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the
true scope of the invention. For example, all the techniques and
apparatus described above can be used in various combinations. All
publications, patents, patent applications, and/or other documents
cited in this application are incorporated by reference in their
entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual
publication, patent, patent application, and/or other document were
individually indicated to be incorporated by reference for all
purposes.
* * * * *
References